Reborn not to be a beast of burden, I set the rules.

Ye Ming suddenly opened his eyes.

The ceiling was a pale yellowish-white, and the soft sounds of washing up could be heard from inside the dormitory. The air was filled with the clean, light scent of white soap.

The angina pectoris still lingers in my chest.

But the body is warm, young, and alive.

Where was he a second ago?

He remembered his past life.

That was in 2026, a day when he worked overtime until almost 11 p.m.

I left my workplace and walked along the shore of Lanyue Lake.

The lake water was dark and murky, and the streetlights cast long shadows in the distance.

My phone rang; it was my supervisor.

"Ye Ming! Have you checked the data in the materials correctly? We need them for tomorrow morning's meeting, so they have to be revised tonight!"

"Boss, I..."

"Don't tell me you're off work! What kind of work is this if you haven't finished? You deserve to be yelled at! You only put in six or seven tenths of your effort, what are you saving for later? Come back right now!"

The phone hangs up.

He stood under the streetlight, holding his phone, feeling a chill run through him.

Then my heart clenched suddenly.

His legs went weak and his vision blurred; he knelt on the ground and collapsed.

Someone walked past, their footsteps fading into the distance.

Someone stopped, glanced at it, and then left.

After an unknown amount of time, someone suddenly ran over, squatted down, and began pressing on his chest.

Once, twice, three times.

He was in a daze and barely managed to open his eyes.

She carried a canvas bag and wore a mask, revealing only her bright, worried eyes.

There is a scar above the mask.

Light white, extending from the cheekbone to the ear.

He wanted to say something, but he couldn't speak anymore.

Those eyes, that scar, and that canvas bag were the last things he saw before he died.

"Don't sleep! Don't sleep!"

That voice was hoarse and trembling; it was the last voice he heard in his previous life.

So I'm already dead?

Ye Ming froze on the upper bunk, his blood freezing as if it had come to a head in a frenzy.

He took a deep breath. The air was fresh, not the stuffy, air-conditioned smell of an office.

My gaze swept erratically across what was in front of me.

The standard four-person dormitory at the University of Tokyo has four bunk beds with desks underneath.

The wrought iron ladder bed and the wall-mounted air conditioner blowing a cool breeze at the end of summer.

here it is……

Southeast University Longhu Campus, Taoyuan Dormitory 7.

Ye Ming's hands and feet trembled as he grabbed the brand-new Nokia N95 from beside his pillow.

His thumb was shaking so badly that he had to press it several times before the screen finally lit up.

Tuesday, April 2009, 9.

In an instant, a tremendous shock, ecstasy, and relief crashed down upon me.

He gripped his phone so tightly his knuckles turned white, and he gritted his teeth to keep himself from shouting out loud.

Back then, he thought that stepping into this prestigious school meant he had grasped a bright and promising future.

Who would have thought that after more than a decade of hard study, he would end up like a "nuclear-powered donkey" in a government agency?

This time, we can't repeat the same mistakes.

"Ye Ming! What are you daydreaming about! Come down and wash up, the instructor will blow the whistle to assemble at seven!"

Ye Ming felt a warmth in his heart when he heard his roommate Chen Mo calling out beside him.

Looking up, he saw Chen Mo leaning against the edge of the bed, looking at him. His face was covered with red, swollen pimples. This familiar appearance instantly awakened his memories.

This was his best friend during his four years of university. In his previous life, after graduation, the two went their separate ways and their life trajectories were completely different.

Chen Mo added, "Oh, by the way, you said your throat was dry yesterday, so I got you a glass of warm water and put it on the table. Remember to drink it."

Ye Ming paused for a moment and looked at his desk.

Sure enough, there was a glass filled halfway with water, which was freshly boiled in the morning and cooled to room temperature, just the right temperature to drink.

He felt a warmth in his heart, climbed out of bed, picked up the cup, and took two sips.

The water temperature was just right, neither too hot nor too cold.

"Thanks." He shook his glass at Chen Mo.

Chen Mo waved his hand dismissively and went into the bathroom.

Ye Ming followed Chen Mo into the bathroom, where Chen Mo washed his face by the mop sink.

Ye Ming walked to the empty washbasin, while Lin Hao stood guard at the other washbasin, slowly and meticulously grooming himself with face wash.

He brushed his bangs aside in front of the mirror and muttered to himself, "I'll have to be careful about sun protection these days, or I won't look good if I get a tan."

Ye Ming stood next to him and turned on the cold water to wash his face.

The cool water cleared his mind, and he glanced at Lin Hao.

Noticing Ye Ming's gaze, Lin Hao merely glanced at him indifferently and said nothing more.

Zhou Lei, who had already washed his face, stood outside the bathroom door and spoke in a loud voice.

"Don't wear short sleeves, just put on a jacket, it'll be cool! The instructors definitely won't notice, I'm telling you."

Lin Hao's eyes lit up, and he immediately nodded decisively: "That's good."

Chen Mo scratched his head, clearly tempted by this lazy idea.

Ye Ming paused.

In my past life, it was this clever trick that made several people stand shirtless in front of the whole class as punishment, causing them extreme embarrassment.

If he could do it all over again, he would never fall into such a low-level trap.

Without saying a word, he quietly put on his short-sleeved shirt underneath and then neatly put on his training uniform.

Zhou Lei pursed his lips and put on his coat; Lin Hao did the same.

Chen Mo looked at Ye Ming and casually suggested, "Why don't you just not wear it either?"

Ye Ming softened his tone and gently advised, "Why don't you put it on? I don't think the instructors are so easy to fool."

Chen Mo hesitated for a moment, but still didn't listen and slacked off.

Seeing this, Ye Ming didn't try to persuade him any further. Some detours can only be understood by experiencing them firsthand.

At 7:00 a.m. sharply, a piercing whistle broke the early morning at the Longhu campus.

Class 3 of the Humanities Department lined up on the playground. Li Feng, the instructor at the front of the line, stood tall and had sharp eyes. He was known for his strictness and integrity.

Beside her was Liu Ting, a chubby and easy-going instructor.

"stand at attention!"

"It's hot today, everyone take off your jackets and let's begin training!"

As soon as the order was given, everyone took off their clothes, except for Zhou Lei, Lin Hao, and Chen Mo, who stood frozen in place, hesitant and unwilling to make a move.

Instructor Li Feng immediately sensed something was wrong. He strode up to the three men, frowned, and demanded sternly, "What are you three dawdling for? Why aren't you taking your clothes off?!"

The three men turned pale instantly and stammered, unable to utter a word.

"Take off your coat immediately!"

At the instructor's stern shout, the three dared not resist any longer. Trembling, they took off their jackets, their bare backs instantly exposed to the entire class.

Seeing this, Li Feng's anger intensified, and he shouted sternly, "Dare to slack off here? Step forward! Stand at attention by the parade ground for half an hour!"

The three men left the line dejectedly, utterly ashamed. Ye Ming, however, stood in the line, neatly dressed and unharmed.

Training under the scorching sun is tedious and rigorous, involving standing at attention, turning, and marching in step, with sweat soaking through one's clothes.

But Ye Ming felt incredibly at ease. There were no endless materials to write, no sarcastic suppression, and no sleepless nights.

A young body, free air, and a life regained after being lost are more precious than anything else.

The training continued into the afternoon, and the scorching sun grew even more intense. All the students were exhausted, panting, and their legs felt weak. They were almost completely drained by the heat.

Ye Ming couldn't take it anymore. He thought to himself that the training intensity was too high, and there was no chance to rest at all. If only he could find a reasonable excuse to rest for a while.

Just then, he caught a glimpse of the girl in the front row secretly glancing in the direction of the instructor. Her fingertips quietly tightened the hem of her military training uniform. The next second, her body went limp and she fell straight back onto Ye Ming.

The surrounding students were instantly startled and all looked over.

Upon seeing this, instructor Liu Ting immediately stepped forward to check on the situation.

Ye Ming glanced down at her; her eyelashes trembled slightly, but her breathing remained steady.

Installed.

This girl knows how to pick her timing.

Just right.

He helped her up and said loudly to the instructor, "Instructor, she seems to have heatstroke! I'll carry her to the school clinic right away!"

Instructor Li Feng frowned, then immediately nodded: "Okay, hurry up, and be careful on the road!"

Instructor Liu Ting quickly added, "Yes, yes, it's probably heatstroke. The school clinic has Huoxiang Zhengqi Water (a traditional Chinese medicine for heatstroke), take her there to get it treated, and be very careful!"

Ye Ming responded and steadily carried the person on his back.

The girl instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, and Ye Ming took the opportunity to support her thighs, feeling the girl's light and graceful figure.

He carried the girl on his back, walking step by step towards the school hospital. The distance from the sports field to the hospital wasn't short, so it was a good opportunity to avoid training and rest for a while. The girl wanted to avoid it, and so did he; neither of them was at a disadvantage.

As they walked to the entrance of the school hospital, the girl on his back suddenly stirred slightly and patted his shoulder.

Ye Ming paused, and the girl nimbly jumped off his back. She quickly glanced left and right to make sure the instructors and classmates weren't following, before letting out a sigh of relief.

She casually pulled off her military training cap, letting her long, black hair fall down, the afternoon sunlight gilding the ends with a faint golden edge.

With bright and graceful features, full lips, and a youthful vigor in every glance and head tilt, she exudes vitality.

Ye Ming saw those eyes; they were bright and held a hint of smugness.

The blurry image in my mind suddenly flashed by.

The girl squatting beside him by Lanyue Lake late at night had very bright eyes.

Exactly the same as the eyes in front of me.

He froze for a moment, his heart skipped a beat.

No, she doesn't have scars on her face.

The girl quickly bowed repeatedly to Ye Ming, her voice clear and bright, her tone full of apology:

"I'm so sorry! I'm really sorry, I was afraid the instructor would see and expose me, that's why I didn't dare get down. Thank you for carrying me this far!"

Ye Ming snapped out of his daze, rubbing his aching shoulders, his tone tinged with helplessness: "You really went all out, pretending to be unconscious. I've been carrying you the whole way, I'm exhausted. Be careful, or I'll report you to the instructor!"

The girl's face instantly fell, and she clasped her hands together, pleading repeatedly, "Excuse me, classmate, please forgive me! I really couldn't stand it anymore, that's why I resorted to this!"

Seeing her nervous yet lively demeanor, Ye Ming's eyes held a hint of a smile.

He hadn't laughed like that in a long time.

In my past life, even laughter became a formality. I could only smile at my boss and colleagues, but I couldn't smile at myself in the mirror.

The two then walked into the lobby of the school hospital and found a cool chair to sit down and rest.

"My name is Xu Wei, I'm a local from Huijing. What's your name?"

Ye Ming is from Shandong Province.

Xu Wei's eyes lit up: "Ye Ming? I'll remember that. This military training is too torturous..."

"It's really unbearable; my legs are stiff from standing at attention," Ye Ming chimed in.

"I was looking forward to a very relaxed university life, but I've been suffering since I arrived."

Xu Wei pouted: "What are your plans for university? Do you want to join a club? I'm thinking of joining the student union; I heard it's a good way to develop yourself."

Ye Ming paused for a moment: "Let's see how things go first."

Xu Wei tilted her head to look at him: "Why do you talk like my dad? Always saying 'Let's see how things go first'? Like some old cadre."

Ye Ming was taken aback.

Having spent over a decade in a government office in his previous life, he was indeed seen as a veteran cadre by others. Unexpectedly, even after being reborn, he still hadn't completely shaken off this bad habit.

After resting for a while, Ye Ming saw that it was almost time and stood up, saying, "I have to go back to the training ground first, otherwise the instructor will be angry."

"You go first, I'll stay a little longer to get a doctor's certificate for any discomfort during military training, and I'll go back later." Xu Wei waved her hand.

Ye Ming nodded, turned around and walked out of the school hospital.

I had only gone halfway when a bicycle rode past me, its chain rattling loudly.

Ye Ming paused in his steps.

He recalled that in his previous life, not long after the start of the semester, Lin Hao had mentioned that a very beautiful local girl had been hit by a bicycle, her head hit the curb, and her face was badly injured, forcing her to drop out of school early.

He even vaguely remembered that Lin Hao said he had never seen the girl at school again after she dropped out.

Her name is Xu Wei.

is her.

In her past life, she was disfigured when she was hit by a bicycle.

Despite experiencing such a cruel ordeal, she is still willing to lend a helping hand to strangers.

My heart sank suddenly, and a mix of fear and relief welled up inside me.

He turned around and ran back to the school hospital.

Rushing into the hall, I immediately saw Xu Wei, who was still waiting for her certificate.

Ye Ming, panting, stared at her face.

"Xu Wei, you must be very careful when you walk in the future, especially around bicycles on the road. Also, be careful not to bump into the curb. Please pay attention to safety."

Xu Wei stood there, stunned, looking completely bewildered. She tilted her head and blinked, "Huh? Why are you suddenly bringing this up?"

Ye Ming didn't explain, but felt his mind was clear, and turned around to stride towards the training ground.

Watching his hurried and inexplicable departure, Xu Wei frowned slightly, puzzled: "Strange person."

When we returned to the playground, afternoon training was still going on. The sun was scorching, and everyone looked listless.

The instructor shouted, "Each class, send one person to the logistics department to fetch water!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a voice rang out from the side, its tone laced with sarcasm: "Ye Ming, you're strong enough to carry people on your back, why don't you go?"

Ye Ming turned his head and glanced at it.

Wang Chao. This person was like this in his past life; he couldn't stand seeing others in the limelight.

He carried Xu Wei to the school hospital just now, and the whole class saw it. He's feeling resentful about it.

I endured it for four years in my previous life.

This lifetime? I can't bear to do it even for a single day.

"Why me?" Ye Ming asked.

Wang Chao was taken aback: "You...aren't you supposed to be strong?"

"Does being strong mean you should do more work?"

Ye Ming's voice wasn't loud, but several classmates around him heard it: "Well, I'm fast, so shouldn't I run the 1000 meters for you?"

Someone nearby burst out laughing.

Wang Chao's face flushed red: "That's not what I meant..."

"Then what do you mean?" Ye Ming looked at him. "I just rushed back from the school clinic and haven't even had a sip of water. You've been sitting here all afternoon without moving. Why should you sit here while I go get water?"

Wang Chao opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Ye Ming didn't look at him again, turned to the instructor and said, "Instructor, carrying water is a class responsibility. I suggest we take turns, arranged by student ID number. These few people today, those few people tomorrow, everyone has to go. It's fair."

The instructor glanced at him and nodded: "Okay, we'll do it your way. We'll start with number one today."

Wang Chao's student ID number was number one, so he had no choice but to reluctantly carry the water.

After a while, Wang Chao returned, panting, carrying water.

Ye Ming was the first to step forward, unpack the boxes, and distribute the water.

"Here, for you."

"then."

"Thanks for your hard work."

The students took the water and nodded to him.

Wang Chao was so angry that he ground his teeth.

Ye Ming didn't care at all; he had endured it for four years in his previous life.

In this lifetime, I cannot bear to do it even for a single day.

As evening training ended and the whistle blew, everyone dragged their aching bodies toward the canteen.

In the evening, they practiced standing at attention, drilled formations, and sang military songs until they were officially dismissed at 8:30 p.m.

Back at Room 204, Dormitory 7, Taoyuan, after a quick wash, it was just past nine o'clock.

His roommates were so exhausted that they fell asleep immediately, their snores filling the air. Only Ye Ming lay in bed, his body aching terribly, but his mind unusually clear.

In the darkness, with his eyes open, the repressed and stifling life of his past life slowly replayed in his mind.

It's not that I didn't try; I studied hard for over a decade and toiled away in government offices for over a decade, only to end up being drained of my value and dying suddenly.

Marriage arranged through blind dates is a cold and forced compromise, draining away enthusiasm and patience.

The only thing that allowed him to catch his breath was writing online novels, which only earned him enough for a few drinks.

He wrote millions of words about rebirth and triumph, but he himself became the most mediocre background character in the story.

What made his heart clench even more was the regret he had almost missed again regarding Xu Wei.

In her past life, everyone avoided her, but she stopped.

Only she knelt down, urging him not to sleep, and diligently performed CPR on this stranger.

That was the last temperature he felt in his previous life.

In this life, he cannot let her be disfigured again.

Besides that, he wanted to make a lot of money, solely for his own benefit.