Chapter One: Securing Two Point One Billion at the Outset

"Heh!" Jiang Huan abruptly sat up, greedily gasping for air. Seeing the familiar room, panic and confusion surged within her; she instinctively reached for her phone and saw the date—June 25, 2055.

Could it be that she had been reborn?

No sooner had the thought formed than Jiang Huan leapt from her bed, heedless of her bare feet on the cold floor, and rushed to the storage cabinet. She found the old silver ring her grandmother had given her, bit her finger without hesitation, and let her blood drip onto it.

Just as she expected, the ring glowed with a faint light, sinking into her palm. Her consciousness slipped inside the ring, revealing an endless plain, a deep forest, and a chimney-like opener.

Now she was certain—she had returned to eight days before the apocalypse.

Without lingering, Jiang Huan immediately dialed her brother Jiang Xi's number.

"Sis, what's wrong?" her brother's puzzled voice came through.

"Xi! Xi!" Jiang Huan choked out, tears threatening.

Startled, Jiang Xi spoke even more words than usual. "Don't cry, Sis. I'll give you a present."

Right—the present! That was why she had called.

"Xi, listen to me. The gift is for me. From now on, don't show it to anyone! Stay at school, don't move. I'm coming to get you. No one else matters, do you hear me?! Otherwise... otherwise, I'll keep crying!"

"Got it, Sis. Don't cry."

Jiang Huan hung up, rage and grief flooding her heart.

In her previous life, her autistic brother, after school, somehow bought a colorful lottery ticket as a present for her. But her fiancé, Fang Jun, tricked him and took it.

The ticket won a two-point-one-billion-dollar jackpot. Fang Jun immediately abandoned her, indulging with his goddess Bai Rou'er—buying houses, cars, feasting and partying.

When the dense fog and torrential rain arrived, he used the money to stockpile supplies, living comfortably in the frozen early days of the apocalypse.

She and her brother struggled to survive; her brother even had his leg broken by someone while saving her.

To procure antibiotics for her brother, Jiang Huan had to kneel and beg Fang Jun, suffering ridicule and humiliation from both Fang Jun and Bai Rou'er.

It was then that Bai Rou'er let something slip.

It turned out she had deliberately orchestrated the theft of their supplies, leading to her brother's broken leg!

Jiang Huan was furious, wishing she could tear them apart.

But her brother still needed medicine. She knelt for hours, her knees ruined, and finally collapsed to the floor, witnessing her brother die miserably from infection, fever, and convulsions.

Her only family gone, Jiang Huan was driven mad.

All she wanted was to drag them to hell with her. For four months, she humbled herself, doing their bidding, until one day, by the frozen river as they fished, she clung to them and took them with her to die.

She thought she was dead for good, yet fate granted her another chance.

"Heaven has eyes—I've been reborn. Fang Jun, Bai Rou'er, all the suffering you escaped last time, I'll make sure you taste it all in this life!"

Twenty minutes later, Jiang Huan took a taxi to the back gate of the school. Her brother was already waiting obediently. She rushed over and embraced him.

Holding his warm body, Jiang Huan fought back tears—her brother, alive and breathing!

"Sis, you're squashing me," Jiang Xi struggled to lift his head.

Jiang Huan quickly loosened her grip, studying his features carefully, then remembered her purpose.

"Where’s the lottery ticket, Xi?"

"Here."

Jiang Xi glanced at her, seeing her red eyes—was it because he bought too few? He should have gotten more.

"Thank you, Xi. Come with me," Jiang Huan said, grabbing his hand. Time was precious—she needed to start stockpiling.

They went straight to the redemption point. Not far from the special school, Fang Jun suddenly felt uneasy, as if something important was slipping away. He quickened his pace to the back gate and waited until dark, but Jiang Xi never appeared.

Upon inquiry, he learned Jiang Xi had already been picked up by his sister. Fang Jun stomped in frustration, strangely irritable, but quickly composed himself.

Jiang Huan was an adventure streamer; she’d made some money in recent years and bought a luxury flat in the city center—a prime location. He couldn’t afford to mess up now. Wasn’t it all because, unlike others, he didn’t mind Jiang Xi and was willing to live with him after marriage, that he got close to Jiang Huan?

Actually, he loathed it to the point of nausea. Even though Jiang Xi could take care of himself, his autism made normal communication impossible. Fang Jun thought he was a lunatic.

Once he got the apartment, he mustn’t let Jiang Huan bear his child—what if the disorder was inherited?

While he was lost in thought, Jiang Huan had already cashed in the ticket with her brother. After various deductions, they had one and a half billion left. Thanks to generous donations and tips, she received the money in less than two hours.

As soon as the funds arrived, a swarm of bank financial managers called her. The bank linked to her card was relentless.

Jiang Huan answered them all with a single message: she planned to buy gold—every ounce available.

She scheduled meetings with each of them, then returned home with her brother, ordering dozens of takeout meals in one go.

When the delivery arrived, the doorway was filled with over a dozen couriers, crowding the corridor and even spilling onto the stairs.

The deliverymen exchanged incredulous looks—they’d never had to queue at a customer’s door before. What kind of family was this?

After sending the couriers away, Jiang Huan seized the moment while her brother ate to search for the numbers of wholesale markets and factories across the city. She began placing orders.

"Hello, is this the tissue factory? I want to order fifty tons of toilet paper—fifty thousand packs. You heard me right."

"What? Fifty tons? Hold on, I need to consult our manager!"

Soon, the factory manager called back, his tone deferential.

"Ms. Jiang, are you sure about fifty tons? We don’t currently have that much."

Jiang Huan immediately offered extra payment.

The manager was overjoyed and promised the goods would be ready within three days.

Then she called a meat company, ordering all their products—except offal.

Two hours later, her orders included refined rice, brown rice, assorted grains, mountain produce, dried seafood, oil, condiments, beverages, cured meats and sausages—each item ordered by the ton, sent directly to a suburban warehouse.

She personally went to rent a row of warehouses—ten thousand a day.

Expensive, but she had the money.

Remembering her brother’s love for modular toys and Legos, she bought out the entire specialty store’s inventory, including stationery. She raided a bookstore for all their practice books and textbooks.

It was past nine at night; there were no more manufacturers nearby able to deliver promptly. She headed home, only to find someone blocking her doorway.

It was Fang Jun. When he saw Jiang Huan, he immediately put on a pitiful face.

"Is your brother’s illness getting worse? He doesn’t recognize anyone now. I tried everything, but he wouldn’t let me in, just told me to leave."

Jiang Huan almost laughed aloud.

She had specifically instructed her brother before leaving: don’t open the door for anyone but her.

He obeyed perfectly. So good.

She was about to send Fang Jun away, but suddenly a thought struck her. She sighed. "Come in."

Fang Jun, puzzled, followed her inside. After he sat down, Jiang Huan dropped a bombshell.

"My brother’s condition has changed. I plan to take him out of town for treatment. But I spent most of my savings buying this apartment, so I don’t have much left. I remember your friend is in real estate—could you talk to him? I’ll sell the apartment at half price, cash only. If it sells, I’ll give you a reward."

Fang Jun jumped in shock.

"You’re selling a two-million-dollar apartment for half? It has full smart home features, imported furniture, luxury renovation..."

The more he spoke, the stranger his expression became.

Yes, including all that, this apartment was worth at least three million. Now, she was offering it for a fraction.

Even if he married her then divorced, he’d only get half. Why not find a way to get it himself, openly and cheaply, without having to deal with her and her brother?

He was silent for a long time, but Jiang Huan was in no hurry.

At last, Fang Jun spoke, feigning difficulty.

"It’s a shame to sell the apartment so cheap. How about you rent it to me first? I’ll pay you ten thousand a month. You and your brother can come back whenever you want."