At first, Sheng Zexi didn’t think much of it.
It was only when he saw that the person he was rushing into the fire to save in that mental image was Gu Jianing that things changed.
After that, all the memories of his past life came flooding into Sheng Zexi’s mind at once.
However, the situation at the time was critical.
So, although Sheng Zexi had regained his past life memories, he didn’t have time to dwell on them.
With the Fire-Repelling Pearl, he was unharmed by the blaze.
But the same couldn’t be said for his comrades.
Later, after rescuing his comrades and ensuring everyone was safe, Sheng Zexi finally had a moment to sort through his past life memories.
In that past life, Gu Jianing had undoubtedly been in a dire state. She had trusted the wrong people, leading to such tragic outcomes for herself and her family.
But Sheng Zexi also knew that the Gu Jianing of that past life was the same as his Ningning in this life.
Having regained those memories, Sheng Zexi’s love for Gu Jianing only deepened.
It was filled with even more tenderness and pity.
And just as he had thought before, in that past life, he had been too weak, too unassertive.
After learning he might be infertile and being rejected by Ningning, he had simply walked away.
If he had fought harder, pushed more, perhaps Ningning wouldn’t have suffered so much in that past life.
Now, Sheng Zexi understood.
The Ningning of this life had, as she said, been reborn.
She had learned from the lessons of her past life and distanced herself from the evil Wen Zhuqing.
As for choosing to be with him, just as she had said from the beginning, it was partly to escape Wen Zhuqing at the time, and partly because in that past life, he had loved her.
Sheng Zexi couldn’t help but feel grateful. Fortunately, in that past life, Ningning had seen his love for her.
Otherwise, would he even have a chance in this life?
He was so thankful that in this life, Ningning had chosen him.
—
Sheng Zexi didn’t actually tell Gu Jianing that he had regained his memories.
Because his behavior toward her didn’t change—well, maybe it did, a little. He treated her even better than before.
As time slowly passed,
the era of reform and opening up arrived. The country’s overall environment improved greatly. Tall buildings rose across the cities, and the neon lights of the metropolises shone even brighter in the night.
The children started school. Being intelligent, they excelled academically and skipped grades frequently.
Grandpa Sang fully retired and became Grandma Sang’s shadow, following her wherever she went.
As for Sheng Xinhao, he continued to pursue Sang Yuwan, but she remained unmoved.
Sang Yuwan moved the branch of her Country A company to Jing City.
She even introduced advanced production lines to state-owned enterprises, eventually earning honors such as Outstanding Entrepreneur.
The dazzlingly accomplished Sang Yuwan, though older, was well-maintained and highly capable.
She attracted the attention of many suitors.
This infuriated Sheng Xinhao.
However, Sang Yuwan had no intention of remarrying, though she was open to dating.
For a while, she even dated a young boyfriend in his twenties, which drove Sheng Xinhao crazy.
But despite dating, Sang Yuwan never lost her head over love.
The moment that young boyfriend crossed her boundaries, she ruthlessly ended things.
Gu Jianing and her family settled in Jing City, but every Chinese New Year, they would return to Huaihua Village to celebrate the reunion.
And Huaihua Village developed rapidly, growing better and better with each passing day.
Gu Yunnan’s contracting business made him a massive fortune. Later, he even established his own company, becoming a well-known township enterprise in the county.
Gu Yunting and his family had permanently settled in Haicheng.
After taking Gu Jianing’s advice back then, Gu Yunting bought plot after plot of land and built building after building of commercial housing.
Later on, Gu Yunting even lost track of how many plots of land he owned or how many buildings he had.
Gu Jianing also took the children to visit Haicheng.
Gu Yunting’s company occupied an entire high-rise building.
The company was very famous, and with its excellent benefits, many people aspired to work there.
During the wave of layoffs in the 1990s, Gu Yunting also took in many displaced workers.
By then, Gu Yunting had lost count of how many “Outstanding Entrepreneur” titles he had received.
From the 1990s onward, housing prices began their rapid ascent.
The land Gu Yunting had bought and the buildings he had constructed multiplied in value countless times over.
In any case, Gu Yunting, now a real estate tycoon, had become the wealthiest man in Haicheng.
Yang Manman, after graduating, joined the company as president and chief financial officer, helping to drive its growth.
What no one knew was that while the company appeared to be Gu Yunting’s on the surface, it was actually Yang Manman’s.
This was a safeguard and a promise Gu Yunting had made to his wife, Yang Manman, long ago.
Although Gu Yunting was confident he would never abandon his wife after achieving success, he wanted to give all the best he had to the one he loved most.
In truth, their family had always lived happily and well.
Even when Gu Yunting faced countless temptations and advances after becoming a real estate tycoon, he never wavered.
Of course, with his wealth, Gu Yunting not only gave back to Haicheng but also returned to his hometown to help develop it.
Today, Huaihua Village, built through the collective efforts of everyone, was better than ever.
As for Gu Yunzhou, he had gone to study in Country A and only returned five years later.
Upon coming back, after a brief visit home, he was immediately recruited by a national scientific research institute.
He dove headfirst into his research.
With his contributions, more and more new inventions emerged. In the years to come, Gu Yunzhou was destined to be recorded in the annals of history as one of the most brilliant scientists.
Xingxing had loved airplanes since he was a child. Later, due to his intelligence, he consistently excelled academically and skipped grades.
He eventually gained admission to a military academy, majoring in air force fighter aircraft.
Even before graduating, he developed a new type of fighter jet, which immediately became a classified project, making him a national asset.
After graduation, he began piloting the fighter jets he had designed, fulfilling his childhood dream.
Yueyue, after graduating from Qinghua University, became a painter and jewelry designer. She had always loved beautiful things and wanted to create stunning jewelry.
As she grew up, Yueyue also began dating Qin Tian.
The day Yueyue brought Qin Tian home, her father, Sheng Zexi’s face darkened.
He had long suspected that Qin Tian, that boy, had ulterior motives.
Gu Jianing, however, comforted her wounded husband. Qin Tian was actually a good match—he had always treated Yueyue well, and by now, he had inherited her medical legacy, becoming a leading figure in the field.
The youngest child, Tuan Tuan, was carefree and easygoing. He was average in his studies and didn’t have any strong passions, but he loved to eat.
Tuan Tuan figured that with so many overachievers in the family, he didn’t have to worry about food or drink.
He was content to just coast through life.
—
Another Chinese New Year arrived. Gu Jianing again brought the whole family back to Huaihua Village to celebrate.
Gu Jianing was now in her fifties. Her parents were no longer as spry as they once were, but they were still in good health.
After dinner, the whole extended family, several dozen people, gathered in the courtyard to take a picture.
Click—a family portrait was captured.
Gu Jianing looked up at the clear sky and thought: Let happiness continue from this moment onward.
She smiled softly. Everything her eyes beheld was beloved; everything was perfect.
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