Chapter 84 A Dream About the Previous Life

Chapter 84: A Dream of the Previous Life

"What?" Jiang Ruotang wondered if his ears deceived him.

Zhao Zhangfeng continued, "Let me see what's going on... Why is Bai Yingchuan the one hospitalized? This happened in the parking lot of Jin Shang Mall! The surveillance footage somehow got leaked... It's spreading like wildfire online. Even trying to remove it would be futile now!"

Jiang Ruotang frowned. Based on his understanding of Wu Ning, this woman had caused Zhao Yunshu plenty of trouble, but it had always been driven by vanity and jealousy—things like jewelry, luxury goods, and social exclusion. The idea of her intentionally running someone down with her car... Jiang Ruotang couldn’t even imagine it.

He pulled out his phone and immediately found the video. The angle was too clear—Wu Ning showed no signs of braking when she accelerated, nothing but hatred and fury.

Just as Bai Yingchuan opened his car door to get in, Lin Lu came running from behind, shouting something that changed Wu Ning’s mind. At the last second, she yanked the wheel toward an empty space.

But another private car was parked beside it, its door open as a child jumped out, frozen in place at the screech of tires.

Bai Yingchuan sprinted over and pushed the child out of the way.

Luckily, Wu Ning’s car only scraped against Bai Yue’s vehicle, slowing it down slightly. Otherwise, Bai Yingchuan would have been sent flying—might've been smashed against the wall.

Even so, the scene was horrifying enough to make one's blood run cold.

Jiang Ruotang took a deep breath and looked up to meet Lu Guifan’s concerned gaze.

"I’m fine," Jiang Ruotang said.

Lu Guifan reached over and covered Jiang Ruotang’s phone screen, his voice calm. "No amount of speculation about how this happened will change anything. The truth will reveal itself in time."

"Yeah, I know."

When they entered the classroom, unsurprisingly, no one was calmly doing their homework—the whole class was abuzz about Bai Yingchuan.

Jian Sha leaned over and whispered, "Hey, I saw online that Bai Yingchuan may have been disfigured!"

Jiang Ruotang froze. "What? Disfigured? That can’t be. In the video, he only got thrown aside—there wasn’t any blood."

"I don’t know if it’s true, but rumors say his face scraped across broken glass when he fell..."

From the back row, Zhao Zhangfeng interjected, "It’s possible he was injured, but playing up the injuries might be damage control—to gain public sympathy and soften the backlash from his mother’s tax evasion scandal."

Hearing this, Jiang Ruotang realized Zhao Zhangfeng actually understood the PR tactics of the entertainment industry. It sounded exactly like something Sister Yu, a manager, would do.

During break, Big Eyed Boy was exploding with hashtags about Bai Yingchuan.

#Bai Yingchuan’s facial wound measures five centimeters#

Jiang Ruotang felt his stomach drop. A five-centimeter wound might not affect his career if it was shallow, but if it was deep and required stitches, no amount of makeup could hide the scar. His acting career could very well be over.

#Suspect Wu in custody#

This "Wu" was undoubtedly Lin Lu’s mother, Wu Ning.

#Thank you, Brother Ying Chuan#

The child Bai Yingchuan saved and their parents gave emotional press interviews expressing gratitude, with the mother breaking down in tears.

This gave Bai Yingchuan’s fans a reason to rally behind him, launching a full-scale online campaign and battling keyboard warriors who mocked him.

By the end of afternoon classes, Teacher Song Qinghe called Lu Guifan over, suggesting that the student council members visit Bai Yingchuan in the hospital.

Lu Guifan lowered his eyes, thinking for a moment before speaking. "Teacher Song, the other student council members don’t need to go. Jiang Ruotang and I can represent the class."

Song Qinghe was puzzled. "Why Jiang Ruotang?"

Lu Guifan replied calmly, "If Bai Yingchuan’s injuries are severe, his dignity couldn't bear a crowd constantly picking at his scars with hollow pity. As for Ruotang... There are probably things they need to say to each other."

Song Qinghe understood the first part perfectly.

As for whatever lay between Jiang Ruotang and Bai Yingchuan—perhaps as their homeroom teacher, he didn’t know enough. But he trusted Lu Guifan’s judgment.

That evening, Lu Guifan and Jiang Ruotang ditched evening self-study, with Xiao Gao driving them to Bai Yingchuan’s hospital.

This hospital was indeed renowned for its plastic surgery department.

On the way, Xiao Gao passed along intel from Jiang Huaiyuan's wife.

The previous night, Wu Ning had gone to Jin Shang Mall’s luxury boutiques to return several bags she had recently purchased.

After taking Lin Lu back to her parents’ home, she had endured nothing but contempt and mockery. Her parents blamed her for tarnishing the family’s reputation, and her siblings acted like she carried the plague—especially since recent business partners, upon learning they were related to Lin Chengdong, had cut all business ties immediately.

Under this smothering humiliation, Wu Ning decided to move out with Lin Lu. But her accounts were frozen due to Lin Chengdong’s case, so she tried returning her luxury purchases for cash.

Only then did she learn that refunds would go back to the blocked account—money trapped.

Wu Ning argued with the sales staff.

Then Bai Yue arrived to try on a limited-edition coat she had ordered.

The moment these two women met, claws came out. The staff couldn’t even separate them.

Lin Lu tried to reason with his mother, only to become the punching bag for both sides.

Wu Ning accused Bai Yingchuan of exploiting Lin Lu’s blind loyalty, never showing gratitude and even scheming against their family.

When Bai Yingchuan arrived to stop the fight, he overheard Wu Ning’s words and shot back, "I never knew exploitation could be called devotion, or control disguised as dedication. Maybe Lin Lu should stop being so ‘good’ to me—I can’t handle it."

This brutal dismissal and sarcasm of Lin Lu’s feelings made him burst into tears, shrieking accusations at Bai Yingchuan for being selfish and cold.

Bai Yingchuan ignored him, turned on his heel and walked away with Bai Yue for the underground parking lot.

That's when Wu Ning's last thread snapped.

Her husband’s future had been ruined by this mother and son. Her home was gone, her money was gone, and now Bai Yingchuan had humiliated her son to his face.

Unable to take it anymore, Wu Ning stormed to the parking lot, got in her car, and gunned the engine straight for them.

Lin Lu tried to stop her, but it was too late. The die was cast.

After finishing the story, Xiao Gao sighed. "Now Lin Lu's got both parents behind bars. What’s he supposed to do alone?"

Jiang Ruotang looked out the window as the cityscape melted into streaks of color. Similar scenery, similar misfortunes... a life left with nothing but the clothes on his back. Was this Lin Lu's reckoning?

"Lin Lu isn’t a child anymore. Some people go through this and learn right from wrong, accept the consequences, and realize the world doesn’t revolve around their schemes. Or they might wallow in bitterness. It’s all his choice now—that's beyond anyone's control."

Jiang Ruotang glanced at Lu Guifan. His calm wasn't passive—it was steeled determination.

"You called it," Jiang Ruotang said quietly.

"What assessment?"

"You said he’s too ruthless, playing by his own rules, never considering others. Unlike me—a smooth operator who knows how to cushion the blow." And Bai Yingchuan had reaped what he sowed for his ruthlessness and selfishness. The knife you wield comes back to cut you.

Bai Yingchuan was in a VIP ward, which was closed to visitors. Only Sister Yu was in the hallway, frantically on the phone.

When Lu Guifan signed in at the nurses' station, Bai Yingchuan indeed refused to see anyone. But after Lu Guifan sent him a message, the nurses' station phone rang—Bai Yingchuan had agreed to let Jiang Ruotang in to see him.

Only Jiang Ruotang was allowed.

"Ah? But our class president is here too..." Jiang Ruotang hesitated, glancing at Lu Guifan, who remained completely unfazed as he sat down on the bench.

"You go in. I'll wait here for you."

Only then did Jiang Ruotang follow the nurse to the ward.

The room was spacious and had a balcony. The glass door to the balcony was open, letting wind gust in that billowed the curtains.

Bai Yingchuan, wearing a striped hospital gown, leaned against his pillow, staring at the fluttering curtains. A piece of gauze was taped to his left cheek.

"You came."

He didn’t turn around. Prideful as he was, he probably didn’t want anyone to see his expression.

"Yeah, I'm here." Jiang Ruotang sat in the chair beside the bed. "What did the doctor say about your injury?"

"The cut is clean. It won’t look too bad after it heals, and it didn’t damage my facial features. But it’ll still be noticeable at social distance."

"Social distance" meant at close range.

Whether in TV dramas or movies, there were always close-up shots.

If makeup could cover Bai Yingchuan’s scar, it might be manageable. But audiences might scrutinize his face for the mark, distracting from the character. Some directors were picky about these things, which could cripple his career.

If it couldn’t be covered, it might mean the end of his time on screen.

Bai Yingchuan gave a quiet laugh. "Hey, shouldn’t you be comforting me?"

"If the wound is clean, there are plenty of ways to fix it. Laser treatments, tension-reducing sutures... Plus, makeup techniques keep improving. Maybe the scar won’t be a big deal."

Jiang Ruotang knew his words rang hollow—the doctors had surely already told Bai Yingchuan all this.

"Jiang Ruotang, after taking down Lin Chengdong, you planned to wash your hands of me, didn’t you? You threw me a rope, dragged me from the muck, made me trust and rely on you—only to cut me loose without a second thought. Lin Lu wanted to control me but failed. You never bothered, yet you succeeded effortlessly. After being a puppet for so long, what do you think happens when the strings are cut? Freedom, or ruin?"

Jiang Ruotang’s expression darkened. "Because I never saw you as a puppet."

An icy silence fell over the room.

"Get some rest. I should go..."

After all, there were still so many practice tests to grind through. He wasn’t a genius—hard work was his only shot.

"Wait..."

"Hm?"

"After the crash, I had a concussion and passed out. Even though I wasn’t conscious, I had this long, long dream."

"A dream?"

"In the dream, I hated you... Because Lin Lu painted you as some obsessive fan. I watched you cause drama in my fan groups, using my name to get your way, even flaunting lewd drawings in front of me. I hated how brazenly you stared at me, how you got off on the control under my name, how your dad spoiling you let you do whatever you wanted. But what I hated most... was that you loved the roles I played but never understood me."

For a moment, Jiang Ruotang’s eyes widened in disbelief. Bai Yingchuan’s words matched his previous life perfectly.

How was that possible?

"What happened next? In your dream?" Jiang Ruotang’s heart hammered.

He needed to know—what had happened to Lu Guifan in that other life?

"Later, your father took over Lin Chengdong’s mess. I made a point of bowing out of that project. Even though I disliked you, deep down, I didn’t want Director Jiang to become Lin Chengdong’s next victim. He was the only truly principled director in the industry. I tried to warn him through an assistant, but the assistant told my mother instead. That’s when she admitted... Lin Chengdong had enough to destroy us both. So I stayed silent and watched Director Jiang sink. I became a pawn of fame and greed, someone I couldn't even respect."

Jiang Ruotang swallowed. Neither he nor his father had ever imagined Lin Chengdong could be so ruthless.

"You know what else? I dreamed Lin Lu brought you into my studio, made you part of my team... You landed so many deals and roles for me. You were unstoppable—whatever I wanted, you made it happen. But I could never show gratitude. Because if Lin Lu noticed, he’d 'punish' me, inventing reasons to turn down the opportunities I craved. So I kept hating you. Hating you was my greatest performance."

Jiang Ruotang let out a slow breath.

Whether Bai Yingchuan’s aloofness and contempt in that past life were genuine or just an act no longer mattered.

"I was spineless and rotten. I told myself my hatred was my way of pushing you away. I never gave you a kind look, never hinted at anything, refused even the water you handed me. I was already trapped in the mess Lin Chengdong and his son made. If you could get out while you could, that was the one decent thing I could do. But if you kept working under Lin Lu, that was on you. I owed you nothing."

Jiang Ruotang lowered his eyes with a self-deprecating smile.

Yes, his obsession with Bai Yingchuan in that past life had been an all-or-nothing bet. He’d went all in, unable to walk away even when the losses piled up.

"But how could I not owe you?" Bai Yingchuan’s voice was steady, but his voice grew thick with tears. "The one person who truly cared for me, and I betrayed and hurt them. Even when you had cancer, I didn’t visit, didn’t send a single message. Without you, I had no resources. Lin Lu handled me like a paper doll. Ha... How could someone as cowardly, vile, and selfish as me exist?"

Jiang Ruotang asked quietly, "In your dream, what happened to Lin Chengdong and his son?"

"Dai Ming and Zhao Yunshu gathered evidence and got them locked up. They had powerful backing—no idea who."

"And... Lu—our class president? What happened to him in your dream?"

The moment Jiang Ruotang asked, Bai Yingchuan sensed something strange.

This was just a dream. In it, everyone—himself, Lin Chengdong, his son—acted exactly as they did in reality. The only difference was Jiang Ruotang’s attitude toward him. The dream felt so real it terrified him—he’d woken up drenched in sweat.

But now, Jiang Ruotang was asking about Lu Guifan.

"He... After returning to China, he co-founded a new energy company with other overseas Chinese. It became an industry leader. By the time I woke up, his company had gone public—cracked the global top ten in its field. He was even invited to design power systems for rockets. Considered protected talent."

Jiang Ruotang’s eyes reddened. Lu Guifan’s life, once derailed because of him, had finally flowed like a river into its destined sea.

He was so happy it ached—his heart clenched, heart burning in his chest with nowhere to go, burning hotter and hotter.

What a shame he never got to see Lu Guifan shine.

After a long silence, Bai Yingchuan added, "In an interview, he said he’d never marry."

Jiang Ruotang tilted his head back, tears spilling over.

He remembered Lu Guifan rushing through snow to visit him in the hospital, scouring the world for the foods he craved, the two of them squeezed onto a narrow hospital bed as Lu Guifan described his designs for a battery to solve rocket thermal runaway...

They’d only had three years in high school and those final days together—a blink in Lu Guifan’s long life. By all logic, it shouldn’t have left such an indelible mark.

Yet Jiang Ruotang couldn’t help wondering—was Lu Guifan’s pledge to never marry really just about dedicating himself to research? Had he, too, once crossed the line of friendship and loved him deeply?

"Jiang Ruotang, was that just a dream? Or did it happen in another world?" Bai Yingchuan’s voice cracked.

He feared the answer but had to hear it from Jiang Ruotang.

Jiang Ruotang stood, wiping his tears—he didn’t want Lu Guifan to worry.

"There's no point dwelling on that now, since you're alive here."

Bai Yingchuan's voice trembled. "Aren't you the least bit curious about how I turned out in that world?"

Jiang Ruotang replied, "Why would I be? Lin Chengdong and his son kept rolling their snowball bigger and bigger. When it finally burst, Bai Yue could only be crushed under the avalanche. As for you—if you lacked the courage to resist them, then you had to bear the consequences."

No matter how good-looking he was, once he crossed society's boundaries, there was only one outcome.

As Jiang Ruotang reached the ward door, Bai Yingchuan suddenly asked, "Is it over for me?"

At this moment, Bai Yingchuan, after enduring long stretches of fear and loneliness, carried the scars on his face and the uncertainty of his future alone.

Yet, he still instinctively trusted Jiang Ruotang. If Jiang Ruotang declared him finished, he would accept it as his final judgment.

"Whether you're finished or not—shouldn’t that depend on you? One thing you guessed right: once you break free from Lin Chengdong, I won't be your safety net. The world is vast—seize your own opportunities. I have no interest in manipulating puppets. Everyone faces trials by fire—some are reduced to ashes while others rise from them. Bai Yingchuan, if you don't want to get burned, you have to fly. I, too, want to see if there’ll ever be a day when I can respect you."

With that, Jiang Ruotang pushed the door open and left.

At that moment, Bai Yingchuan knew—to Jiang Ruotang, that dream had been real.

The more real it was, the crueler it became, so visceral it left Bai Yingchuan breathless.

He understood now—Jiang Ruotang would never like him.

Who'd ever fall for a cowardly, selfish clown?

Suddenly, the scars on his face and his uncertain future no longer mattered. Had Jiang Ruotang always looked down on him?

Bai Yingchuan clenched his jaw, his whole body shook with the effort of restraint.

This was the first time in his brief, glittering life that he had ever felt pain so unbearable.

Jiang Ruotang stepped out of the ward, and his agent, Sister Yu, hurried over. Whatever she said might as well have been coming from another planet.

His eyes searched for Lu Guifan, but the hallway bench was empty.

Jiang Ruotang quickened his pace, anxiously scanning for him, the emotions churning inside him all rushing toward that one person.

Only when he reached the end of the corridor did he see Lu Guifan standing by the window, his back turned, speaking on the phone with Teacher Song.

The next second, Jiang Ruotang dashed forward. Regardless of how Lu Guifan might react, he wrapped his arms around him, pressing his face tightly against his back.

Lu Guifan stumbled slightly at the sudden contact, but the moment he felt the arms around his waist, he immediately understood Jiang Ruotang’s emotions. Without hesitation, he said into the phone, "Teacher Song, let’s talk later."