Chapter 1: What an obscure currency unit

September, Longcheng.

At "Poison" Coffee in the city center, Shen Ci sat in a corner by the window, resting her chin on one hand and staring blankly at the sky outside.

The sunlight was just right, and she had returned to an age when she wasn't yet a "poisonous woman."

Just half an hour ago, she had retired honorably after finishing her final shift at 65. She had only taken a short nap on the bus ride home, and when she opened her eyes again, she had actually returned to when she was 20.

In the prime of her youth, with a curvaceous figure.

Skin firm, self-righteous.

High standards, not wearing glasses.

Had a boyfriend.

Everything was so unbelievable, yet she accepted it quickly and calmly.

As a scientist who had explored the field of space for many years and achieved certain academic accomplishments, quickly accepting the unknown was her talent.

When she woke up, she was also on the bus. Those distant yet clear memories surfaced; she remembered this day, when Li Xiao's mother had asked to meet her at a coffee shop.

Li Xiao was her boyfriend.

The next second, the bright glass reflected the noble posture of a wealthy lady. Shen Ci sat up straight and fixed her gaze on the other woman, watching her sit down gracefully.

Before Shen Ci could speak, the woman slightly raised her proud head, took a check out of her orange Hermes Kelly lychee-grain bag, and tapped it in front of Shen Ci.

"Here is ten yuan, leave my son!"

How much?

Shen Ci was stunned, thinking to herself that this line wasn't right!

Wasn't it one hundred thousand last time?

How did it become ten yuan?

Does ten yuan even require the trouble of writing a check?

"I know what a young girl your age is thinking—wanting to climb the social ladder and take shortcuts. But you need to get this straight: you and my son are from two different worlds. Different classes cannot be forced to merge."

As she spoke, Li Mu stared at Shen Ci's beautiful face for a few seconds, a disdainful snort escaping her nostrils: "You are indeed quite pretty, but you can only fool a simple-minded boy like my son; you can't fool me."

Shen Ci finally recovered from the shock of the "ten yuan," having only heard half of what Li Mu said.

Who is simple-minded?

Your son is simple-minded?

Li Xiao is simple-minded?

Shen Ci couldn't help but sneer. Seeing this, Li Mu frowned under her sunglasses and said unhappily, "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, just thought of something funny."

And the funny self from the past.

She once thought Li Xiao was simple-minded too. What bad intentions could a big boy who grew up pampered in a wealthy family have?

It wasn't until her academic paper, which she had painstakingly written for two years, was plagiarized and published by him that Shen Ci realized what a huge mistake she had made by being a face-con!

The other party became famous because of this paper and successfully entered the most famous scientific research institution in the country.

And her appeals and cries were all swallowed by the sea, crushed by the immense wealth of the Li Group.

Later on, through her efforts, she finally became a colleague of Li Xiao, and also his direct subordinate.

People with a guilty conscience are most prone to persecution mania. In Li Xiao's eyes, she was like a ticking time bomb, the kind that could explode at any moment.

So, during their time working together, Li Xiao made things difficult for her in every way using his position, and finally used the dirty means of a two-hundred-million-yuan investment from the Li Group to kick her out of the team.

That year, she was twenty-nine, unemployed.

But true gold fears no fire; if you are gold, you will shine.

She didn't give up. Using the research experience and results she had gained at the institution over those years, she wrote another paper that shocked the industry, and shortly after its publication, she joined the "National Space Exploration Research Department."

She worked diligently all the way, never married, and fought hard in the field of space exploration until she retired honorably at 65!

"Auntie, I think you're right. He and I are not the same kind of people."

Shen Ci slowly pushed the ten-yuan check back to the other party: "Ten yuan isn't necessary either. Although I'm not wealthy, I'm not so short of ten yuan."

Shen Ci's reaction was beyond Li Mu's expectations. She used her finger to pull her sunglasses down to the tip of her nose and stared at Shen Ci.

Shouldn't she be refusing with tears in her eyes, then declaring that she and Xiao Zai are true love and no one can tear them apart?

Last time, Shen Ci had indeed done exactly that.

"Think it's too little? I've looked into your situation. For a family like yours, ten yuan isn't a small amount. Or are you playing games with me? Don't try any tricks on me!" Li Mu put her sunglasses back on, her tone slightly cold.

Shen Ci smiled: "Auntie, you're overthinking it. I will break up with Li Xiao, I promise you!"

"I don't agree!"

A roar of suppressed anger suddenly erupted from the side. Li Mu was startled, but Shen Ci curled her lips without changing her expression.

It was the same timing as last time. Last time, Li Xiao appeared suddenly, and the two of them expressed their firm determination to be together no matter what, appealing to his mother's emotions and reasoning. In the end, she felt sorry for her son and reluctantly agreed to let them continue dating.

Li Xiao rushed over in one stride, sat down next to Shen Ci, put his arm around her shoulder, and said firmly: "Mom, I won't break up with Shen Ci!"

"Xiao Zai! Would Mom harm you? Mom is doing this for your own good!" Li Mu said, anxious and angry.

She had almost succeeded, but with her son appearing so suddenly, this girl might very well go back on her word!

However, Shen Ci expressionlessly removed Li Xiao's hand from her shoulder, then stood up under his puzzled gaze and looked at him: "Li Xiao, I've had enough of playing. Let's end it here."

"Wh... what do you mean?" Li Xiao asked foolishly: "What do you mean by 'had enough of playing'?"

Shen Ci curled her lips and smiled: "Literal meaning. You, I've had enough of playing with you."

The expression on Li Xiao's face turned from confusion to shock, and finally to anger.

"Shen Ci, this is not the time to be impulsive, and it's certainly not the time for jokes!" Li Xiao said, lowering his voice.

Shen Ci looked at his face. She had to admit that seeing this face again, it was still handsome and good-looking enough, whether it was the furrowed brows when he was confused, the wide eyes when he was shocked, or the flushed face when he was angry.

They were all good-looking.

It was just that as she looked, a delayed feeling of nausea surged up.

Shen Ci turned her gaze to Li Mu: "Auntie, I have a weird quirk; I only like to play underground romances with rich second generations. Since you've found out, I don't think there's any point anymore."

"Oh, right. Li Xiao and I haven't slept together. We opened a room once, but he couldn't get it up. I don't know if it was nerves or if he's just not very capable. I suggest you take him to the hospital when you have time; after all, he's still young."

"I'll pay for the coffee."

With that, Shen Ci turned and walked toward the cashier, leaving the ashen-faced Li Xiao and his mother frozen in their seats.

"Hello, bill for table 5."

"Hello, miss. It's 7.5 li in total. I'll scan you."

Shen Ci squinted in confusion, thinking she might not have heard the other person clearly. Was it 75?

"Payment successful, 7.5 li!"

The voice broadcast came from the cashier. Shen Ci subconsciously glanced at the WeChat payment page: "Payment successful 0.0075 yuan?"

7.5 li?

Yuan, jiao, fen, li—the li?

Shen Ci widened her eyes, even more shocked than when she accepted that she had lived a second life.

What an obscure currency unit! ===== CHAPTER 2 =====