Thick snow covered the fields and mountains.
Wisps of cooking smoke curled from the chimneys of houses, carrying the aroma of food.
It was early morning, the snow had just stopped, and everyone in the village was diligently clearing snow and tidying the roads.
The rhythmic swish of brooms sounded like the most beautiful musical notes in the world; children played in the snow-covered fields, their shouts echoing through the quiet countryside.
Bright red couplets adorned the mud walls, radiating festive cheer.
Inside an old, tiled house, Qin Chuan stared blankly at the calendar on the wall, utterly bewildered.
January 29, 1998, the second day of the Lunar New Year!
After confirming it multiple times, Qin Chuan realized he had truly been reborn, transported back over twenty years. His emotions were hard to contain.
Recalling his past life, Qin Chuan was filled with wistful emotions.
His life had been a rollercoaster.
Although he had ultimately succeeded, becoming the owner of a furniture chain with a net worth of over a hundred million, enjoying the admiration and applause of countless people, he had always dulled his senses with alcohol in the dead of night.
This was because too many regrets, etched deeply into his memory, had made it impossible to forget.
His parents, the confidantes he had missed, his two older brothers…
Qin Chuan had often wished time could turn back, so he wouldn't have so many regrets and end up all alone.
Unexpectedly, he woke up and found himself reborn, back in 1998, a year he could never forget.
With uncontrollable joy, Qin Chuan ran to the mirror and looked at himself.
A vibrant youth with thick eyebrows and large eyes, possessing a hint of handsomeness, stared back – exactly as he remembered.
"Thank you, heaven!"
Qin Chuan danced with excitement.
"Xiao Chuan, what are you doing inside? Everyone else is clearing snow, aren't you going to hurry out and help your father and brothers!"
His mother, Jiang Cuihua's voice, drifted in from outside.
"We can eat after we finish clearing the snow!"
"Coming!"
Qin Chuan replied excitedly, pushed open the door, and stepped out.
Before his eyes, the entire village was clad in white, under a clear blue sky and gentle sunlight. The air was fresh and invigorating.
The old Qin family lived in a small village in the north called Nanyang Village.
Qin Chuan had two older brothers and no sisters; the entire family were carpenters.
His father and brothers worked the land and did odd carpentry jobs. By current standards, they lived decently in the village, considered to be slightly better off.
His eldest brother, Qin Yang, was already married. His second brother, Qin Gang, had been mischievous since childhood, a typical troublemaker who caused a lot of headaches.
"Third!"
A voice suddenly called from outside the yard. Qin Chuan looked up and saw a dark-skinned, robust young man walking in with a shovel.
Following him was a middle-aged man with his right hand in a cast, slung across his chest with a white cloth.
These two were Qin Chuan's father, Qin Shuren, and his eldest brother, Qin Yang.
"Dad! Your arm..."
Qin Chuan froze, his gaze fixed on his father Qin Shuren's cast-clad arm. Then, a long-buried memory surged forth, causing him to clench his fists tightly.
He had still been reborn a step too late!
He remembered that just before the Lunar New Year, in the twelfth lunar month of '97, a major event had occurred that changed the fate of everyone in his family.
Before the festival, his father, Qin Shuren, had taken on a lucrative job: making furniture for the village chief's new house, encompassing everything from doors and windows, chests, and beds to tables and chairs.
This should have been a great opportunity for the Qin family to earn a substantial amount of money and improve their lives. Unexpectedly, an accident happened a few days prior!
Late at night, the village chief's new house suddenly caught fire. Not only was a lot of furniture destroyed, but his father, who had rushed to help extinguish the flames, was also burned, suffering severe burns to his arm and multiple scalds on his body.
From then on, the fate of everyone in the Qin family changed completely. They had to face a large compensation claim from the village chief's family, as well as the exorbitant medical expenses for Qin Shuren's burns.
This transformed their once prosperous family into the poorest and most destitute in the village overnight.
At that time, to cover the compensation for the village chief's family and Qin Shuren's medical expenses, Qin Chuan and his two brothers, along with their mother, were forced to go out and work.
If they hadn't left, the subsequent events wouldn't have happened, and the family wouldn't have been separated by death.
Years later, through a chance encounter, Qin Chuan learned that the fire at the village chief's house had been deliberately set by someone with malicious intent, but it was all too late...
As he recalled the past, Qin Chuan's eyes were already moist. Now that he had returned, he was determined to change his family's destiny.
And make the wrongdoer pay the price they deserved!
"Silly boy, I'm fine!"
Qin Shuren noticed Qin Chuan's reddened eyes and mistook it for concern about his injury, so he forced a smile and tried to comfort him.
"Clearing snow is a minor task, I can do it with one hand!"
"Qin, since you're so capable, why don't you hurry up and fix the mess for my family!"
Before Qin Shuren could finish speaking, several men appeared at the corner of the road, their footsteps crunching on the snow as they approached aggressively.
The sudden change caused the Qin father and son to turn their heads. Upon seeing who it was, their faces paled.
Qin Shuren's voice trembled with fear as he stammered, "Vi-Village Chief!"
The newcomers were none other than the most influential and wealthiest family in Nanyang Village, the village chief's family.
They were also the people the Qin family feared most at the moment, as the fire had destroyed their property.
The village chief Xiong Lianshan and his family were now the Qin family's biggest creditors, people they dreaded encountering.
Accompanying Xiong Lianshan were his two sons, both burly and fierce-looking.
"Shuren, the New Year has passed, shouldn't we discuss the compensation issue?"
Village Chief Xiong Lianshan's face was grim, as if he were interrogating someone.
"I always thought you were a good person, honest and diligent, which is why I entrusted you with the entire furniture job for my son's new house. I had high hopes for you!"
"But unexpectedly, you caused such a disaster! A fire destroyed everything, almost burning down the house!"
"Now, my son's wedding is less than two months away. If the new house and furniture aren't ready, he might not be able to get married. Where would that leave my reputation as Xiong Lianshan!"
Facing Xiong Lianshan's accusations, Qin Shuren appeared humble and guilty, bowing and apologizing profusely.
"I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry! This is all my responsibility!"
"I have disappointed everyone!"
"You old fool, what good is an apology! Can your apology restore the burned furniture!"
Xiong Lianshan's eldest son, Xiong Dongmao, shouted angrily, his finger almost poking Qin Shuren's forehead, exuding an aura of menace.