Chapter One: Past Life and Present

February 2008, Jijiang Province.

Lingyun City Government Office.

“Have you heard? Last night, Secretary Yin was taken away in his car by the city disciplinary committee.”

“Of course I’ve heard. Who in the city doesn’t know by now?”

“Tsk, tsk. I heard the committee found half a million yuan in cash in his home refrigerator—imagine, the whole fridge stuffed full.”

A few staff members from the Municipal Office’s General Section were whispering among themselves. After finishing, they couldn’t help but glance at the desk in front of them.

“Hey, do you think Yang Dong is finished?”

“Him? Definitely. He’s one of Yin Tiejun’s men. If Secretary Yin is done for, so is he.”

“Serves him right. He’s just a team leader, not even a deputy section chief, yet always ordering us around, showing off his authority.” A woman sneered, her eyes burning with resentment.

“Shh, keep your voice down. He’s still our team leader.” Someone tugged at her sleeve, looking nervous.

“What’s the rush? He won’t last long, just a grasshopper after autumn.” The woman scoffed, unconcerned.

Yang Dong could clearly hear the chatter behind him, the sarcasm and ridicule directed at him. But he had no time to care. His mind was still reeling.

Because he had been reborn, sent back fifteen years.

He lowered his head, gripping a half-torn cigarette pack in his hand, with a string of numbers written on it—a phone number.

Staring at those digits, Yang Dong’s thoughts drifted far away.

He still remembered, in his previous life, fifteen years ago.

One night, the wind howled and snow fell thickly.

A distinguished figure appeared at the door of his rented room.

Yin Tiejun, Secretary of the Municipal Office.

When he saw Yin Tiejun standing at the door, soaked in snow and water, he was stunned.

Yin Tiejun pulled him inside, handed him a phone number written on the cigarette pack.

From start to finish, Yin Tiejun only said one thing:

“Call this number, give them a warning.”

After that, Yin Tiejun hurried away, disappearing into the snowy darkness.

He was bewildered then, but just half an hour later, he received a call from Li Chen, his best colleague at the Municipal Office.

“Team leader, Secretary Yin was taken away by the disciplinary committee in his car.”

“I heard it in the duty room.”

That day, Li Chen was on duty at the Municipal Office.

Only then did Yang Dong realize just how hot the phone number Yin Tiejun handed him was.

Yin Tiejun was usually friendly in the office, always supportive of the writers, especially Yang Dong, whom he favored.

During the city recruitment, Yang Dong ranked first in both the written and interview exams, and was personally recruited by Yin Tiejun.

Over the next four years, Yin Tiejun looked after him, first helping him become a full staff member, then appointing him as a team leader in the General Section.

His authority was second only to the section chief and deputy chiefs.

He was a typical Yin Tiejun loyalist.

Yin Tiejun had already nominated him for promotion to deputy section chief, just waiting for organizational approval.

But all of this ended when Yin Tiejun was taken away by the disciplinary committee.

In his previous life, Yang Dong was so frightened he never dared to dial that number.

As a result, Yin Tiejun’s case was expedited; the committee handed him over to the judicial authorities in just three days, and he was sentenced to ten years.

Everyone knew there was something fishy—cases weren’t closed this hastily.

Later, it was revealed that this was a setup, specifically targeting Secretary Yin.

But so what? No one cared anymore.

A week after Yin Tiejun’s sentencing, the new Secretary of the Municipal Office, Tian Guanghan, kicked Yang Dong—Yin’s loyal follower—out to a remote township agricultural office.

After that, Yang Dong was stuck in a mountain valley, face to the dirt, back to the sky, working with villagers to plant potatoes and trees.

Though he was immersed among the masses, he never rose again.

Just past forty, during a flood rescue, he drowned saving others.

He thought the flood would wash everything away, but when he opened his eyes, he found himself back fifteen years earlier, the afternoon after Yin Tiejun was taken away.

That is, right now.

Yang Dong snapped back to himself, his gaze regaining clarity.

In his previous life, he was too timid to make that call.

Would he still be afraid in this life?

He couldn’t bear to fail a second time.

Knock, knock!

“Yang Dong, what are you daydreaming about? Is this how you work?”

A sharp knock on the desk interrupted all his thoughts.

He looked up to see a middle-aged man in a black jacket, glaring at him.

“Deputy Secretary Tian…”

Yang Dong was startled and stood up immediately.

“Looks like you’re the most idle one here. Since that’s the case, go! Deliver these materials to the Documentation Section!”

“Yaodong, give him the documents!”

Tian Guanghan nodded toward the young man behind him.

Lin Yaodong approached with a smile, slamming a thick stack of documents onto Yang Dong’s desk.

With a thud, it weighed over twenty pounds.

“Team Leader Yang, thanks for your hard work.”

Lin Yaodong’s smile was ingratiating, but he looked every bit the opportunist.

Seeing that face, Yang Dong’s anger flared.

Lin Yaodong was his rival in the General Section, always picking fights and competing with him.

Worse still, half a month ago, Lin Yaodong had stolen his girlfriend, Han Wen.

Not only that, after Yin Tiejun’s downfall in his previous life, Lin Yaodong had run to Tian Guanghan, slandering Yang Dong for criticizing the new secretary behind his back.

That was why Tian Guanghan kicked Yang Dong out.

Lin Yaodong, the conniving one, succeeded in becoming deputy chief of the General Section—the position that should have been Yang Dong’s.

He went from a promising secretary to a lowly agricultural clerk in the backcountry, his career ruined.

“Yang Dong, why are you still standing there? Go deliver them!” Tian Guanghan barked, his face stern.

“Deputy Secretary Tian, delivering materials isn’t my job, is it?” Yang Dong’s face flushed as he challenged Tian Guanghan.

“Can’t do it? If you can’t, then get out! The Municipal Office doesn’t keep idle hands!” Tian Guanghan snapped, turning to leave.

“Team Leader Yang, you should just deliver them. No sense fighting the inevitable,” Lin Yaodong said, feigning concern, patting the pile before swaggering off.

Yang Dong clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on the departing Tian Guanghan and Lin Yaodong.

Tian Guanghan’s troublemaking was entirely because of Yin Tiejun.

He had competed for the secretary position before and lost to Yin, never quite accepting it.

Now, with Yin under investigation, Tian Guanghan wouldn’t miss this chance to make things hard for Yin’s man.

As for Lin Yaodong, he was simply despicable—clearly currying favor with Tian Guanghan.

“Team leader, let me deliver them…” Li Chen, his best colleague, came over.

He started to pick up the stack.

“No need, I’ll do it myself!” Yang Dong pushed Li Chen aside, grabbed the heavy pile, and strode out.

Being tormented and picked on by Tian Guanghan was expected, but it still made him angry.

“See that? A sign of his fall. Let him show off—now let’s see how unlucky he gets!”

“Dog like him, does he deserve to be the creative group leader?”

The woman who had mocked him earlier sneered again.

Li Chen couldn’t help but retort, “Is it just because Team Leader Yang criticized you once, Zhou Hui? Do you have to be like this?”

“Shut up, Li Chen! You’re just Yang Dong’s lapdog!”

“You… you shrew!”

“Say that again?”

In an instant, the General Section was as lively as a marketplace.

…

Panting, Yang Dong lugged the pile of documents to the Documentation Section.

The staff who usually greeted him with smiles now ignored him entirely.

Clearly, they knew Yin Tiejun was finished, and Yang Dong, his favored subordinate, was next.

“I’ll leave them here!” Yang Dong placed the files on the cabinet, addressing the staff.

None responded.

The coldness of human relations, the true face of officialdom.

He shook his head and refused to continue seeking warmth where there was none, turning to leave.

He didn’t return to the General Section, but quickly exited the government building.

Outside, dusk was falling; it was nearly time to clock out.

He gripped the cigarette pack tightly, wasting no time, hurrying to the telecommunications office.

“Open a new account!”

Two minutes later, Yang Dong inserted the new card into his phone.

Finding a secluded spot, he took a deep breath, heart pounding, and dialed the number.

He waited…