Reborn as His Deadliest Enemy

The Family Dinner

The restaurant was on the thirty-sixth floor of the Jinhai Hotel.

Lin Wan arrived ten minutes early.

She chose a seat near the window and ordered nothing.

Her mind was still on the message Gu Yanshen had sent.

Blackstone just contacted me too.

That sentence had changed everything.

Until tonight, she had been investigating Blackstone from the outside.

Now she knew someone was watching her.

And more importantly, they were watching Gu Yanshen.

That meant their actions had already attracted attention.

The question was—

How much did Blackstone know?

Lin Wan looked through the glass wall.

Below her, the city stretched endlessly into the night.

Ten years ago, she had sat in restaurants like this countless times.

She had attended business dinners with her father.

She had accompanied Lu Minghao to social events.

She had smiled at people she didn't trust.

She had believed that these dinners were simply part of becoming an adult.

She had never realized that some conversations could determine whether a person lived or died.

Her phone vibrated.

A message from Gu Yanshen.

I'm downstairs.

Lin Wan looked at the time.

7:02 p.m.

She stood.

A minute later, the door opened.

Gu Yanshen walked in.

He was wearing a dark suit without a tie.

At twenty-six, he already carried the restrained authority she remembered from her previous life.

But there was something different about him now.

He wasn't the distant man she had known at thirty-six.

He was younger.

Less hardened.

His eyes were still cold, but there was no exhaustion in them.

No trace of the man who had held her as she died.

For a brief moment, Lin Wan remembered his voice.

Because I failed you once.

Her chest tightened.

She looked away.

"Sit."

Gu Yanshen took the chair opposite her.

He didn't waste time.

"Blackstone contacted me this afternoon."

"How?"

"Through an intermediary."

"What did they want?"

"Phoenix Technology."

Lin Wan's expression didn't change.

"Did they make an offer?"

"Yes."

"How much?"

"Thirty-five million."

Lin Wan frowned.

Phoenix wasn't worth thirty-five million.

Not yet.

That was the problem.

In her first life, Phoenix had been valued at less than half that amount at this stage.

Blackstone was offering far above market value.

It wasn't an acquisition.

It was an attempt to remove someone from the board.

"Did you accept?"

"No."

"Why?"

Gu Yanshen looked at her.

"Because I already told you not to invest."

Lin Wan's eyes narrowed.

"That's not an answer."

His gaze remained calm.

"Because the offer doesn't make sense."

She leaned back.

"Exactly."

Gu Yanshen pushed a folder across the table.

"I had my people investigate the buyer."

Lin Wan opened it.

The first page showed a corporate registration.

Blackstone Capital Management — Jinhai Branch.

The second page showed the shareholder structure.

The third page showed several subsidiary companies.

The fourth page contained something that made Lin Wan stop.

A familiar name.

She stared at it.

"Where did you get this?"

"Public records."

"No."

She pointed at the document.

"This company."

Gu Yanshen looked down.

"Jinhai Investment."

"Why is it here?"

"Because it owns eleven percent of the Blackstone subsidiary."

Lin Wan's fingers tightened around the paper.

She knew that company.

She had seen the name before.

Not in her second life.

In her first.

Jinhai Investment had been one of the companies that suddenly appeared around Lin Group shortly before her father's death.

At the time, she had assumed it was an ordinary investment company.

It wasn't.

She turned another page.

There was a list of directors.

One name stood out.

Luo Qing.

Lin Wan's breathing slowed.

She looked at Gu Yanshen.

"Luo Qing."

"I know."

"You knew?"

"I investigated him after you mentioned his name."

She stared at him.

"When?"

"Yesterday."

Yesterday.

That meant Gu Yanshen had acted immediately after their first conversation.

Not after she asked.

Not after she offered money.

Immediately.

Lin Wan closed the folder.

"Why are you helping me?"

Gu Yanshen didn't answer.

The silence between them became strangely heavy.

Finally, he said,

"Because I think you're walking into something you don't understand."

Lin Wan almost laughed.

"Neither do you."

"I understand enough."

"Then tell me."

He looked at her.

"I can't."

Her smile disappeared.

"Can't?"

"Not yet."

Lin Wan stared at him for several seconds.

The answer was frustrating.

But strangely familiar.

In her first life, Gu Yanshen had always done this.

He knew something.

He refused to explain.

He would intervene.

Then disappear.

She had interpreted it as arrogance.

Maybe it had never been.

Maybe he had been protecting information.

Or protecting her.

She pushed the folder back.

"What do you want?"

"From you?"

"Yes."

"Nothing."

"Everyone wants something."

Gu Yanshen's expression didn't change.

"Then perhaps you haven't met enough people who don't."

Lin Wan's eyes flickered.

Before she could respond, her phone rang.

Her father's name appeared on the screen.

She answered.

"Father?"

"Where are you?"

His voice sounded normal.

Too normal.

"I'm having dinner."

"With whom?"

Lin Wan glanced at Gu Yanshen.

"An old friend."

There was a pause.

Then her father said,

"Come home tonight."

"Why?"

"We're having dinner together."

Lin Wan frowned.

"Just us?"

"Your mother will be there."

She hesitated.

Then her father added,

"And I want to talk to you about Phoenix."

Lin Wan's eyes narrowed.

"I'll be there."

She hung up.

Gu Yanshen watched her.

"Family dinner?"

"Yes."

"Go."

She looked at him.

"You're not coming?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because your father invited you, not me."

Lin Wan almost smiled.

"You really follow rules."

"I follow useful rules."

She stood.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow."

Gu Yanshen nodded.

She walked toward the door.

Just before she opened it, his voice stopped her.

"Lin Wan."

She turned.

"If your father asks you to stop investing in Phoenix—"

He paused.

"Don't agree immediately."

Her eyes sharpened.

"Why?"

"Because I don't think Phoenix is the real target."

"What is?"

Gu Yanshen looked at her.

"You."

The Lin family home was brightly lit when Lin Wan arrived.

The sight almost made her stop.

She hadn't seen this house in ten years.

In her first life, she had left it after her wedding.

After her father died, the house became unbearable.

Too many memories.

Too many empty rooms.

Too many things that reminded her of the family she had lost.

Now everything was exactly where she remembered it.

The old piano.

The dark wooden staircase.

Her mother's favorite painting.

Even the small vase near the entrance.

Lin Wan stood there for several seconds.

Mrs. Chen came to greet her.

"Miss, you're finally back."

Lin Wan smiled.

"I'm home."

The words came naturally.

But they almost broke her heart.

Her mother came downstairs a moment later.

The moment she saw Lin Wan, her face softened.

"Why are you standing at the door?"

"I'm just looking."

"At what?"

"Everything."

Her mother laughed.

"You've become strange lately."

Lin Wan walked over and hugged her.

Her mother froze.

Then she gently patted her back.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you hugging me?"

Lin Wan closed her eyes.

"Because I wanted to."

Her mother smiled.

"All right."

They walked into the dining room together.

Her father was already there.

Three places had been set.

No guests.

No business partners.

Just family.

Lin Wan sat down.

Her father looked at her.

For a few seconds, nobody touched the food.

Then he asked,

"How much did you invest in Phoenix?"

"Ten million."

Her mother's hand stopped.

Her father remained calm.

"Did Gu Yanshen recommend it?"

"No."

"Did he discourage you?"

"Yes."

Her father looked at her sharply.

"Then why did you invest?"

"Because I believe in the company."

Her father didn't speak.

Lin Wan watched him carefully.

She knew her father.

He rarely showed fear.

But tonight, he was nervous.

That was enough.

"Father."

"Hm?"

"Have you met Blackstone before?"

The room went silent.

Her mother looked at her husband.

Her father slowly put down his chopsticks.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I found a connection between Blackstone and Jinhai Investment."

Her father's face changed.

Only slightly.

But Lin Wan saw it.

Her mother saw it too.

"What's wrong?" her mother asked.

"Nothing."

Her father looked at Lin Wan.

"Where did you hear about Jinhai Investment?"

"I investigated it."

"Why?"

"Because someone is trying to acquire Phoenix."

Her father stood.

"Stop."

Lin Wan froze.

His voice was sharper than she had ever heard it.

"Stop investigating."

"Why?"

"Because you don't know what you're dealing with."

"Then tell me."

"I said stop."

Lin Wan stared at him.

Her father rarely lost his temper.

Not with employees.

Not with competitors.

Not even with her.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Her mother reached for his arm.

"Calm down."

He took a breath.

Then sat again.

His voice softened.

"Wan Wan, I know you want to prove yourself."

"This isn't about proving myself."

"Then what is it about?"

Lin Wan looked directly at him.

"I want you to live."

The room went completely silent.

Her father's expression froze.

Her mother stared at her.

Lin Wan realized what she had said.

Too much.

She quickly corrected herself.

"I mean... I don't want our family to make a mistake."

Her father looked at her for a long time.

Then he asked quietly,

"Did you dream about something?"

Lin Wan's heart stopped.

"What?"

"Recently."

His voice was almost a whisper.

"Have you been having strange dreams?"

Lin Wan didn't answer.

Her father looked down.

And for the first time, she realized something terrifying.

Maybe her father knew more than she thought.

Maybe he had been trying to warn her in her first life.

Maybe the things she had dismissed as ordinary conversations had actually been his attempts to protect her.

Her mother suddenly spoke.

"Enough."

Her father looked at her.

"We agreed not to involve her."

Lin Wan's head snapped toward her mother.

"Not involve me in what?"

Neither answered.

"What are you talking about?"

Her mother lowered her eyes.

Her father stood again.

"You're not ready."

Lin Wan felt anger rising inside her.

She hated those words.

You're not ready.

In her first life, everyone had told her that.

She wasn't ready to run the company.

She wasn't ready to know the truth.

She wasn't ready to make decisions.

She wasn't ready to understand why people were acting strangely.

And by the time she was finally ready—

it was too late.

She pushed back her chair.

"I am ready."

Her father looked at her.

"No."

His voice was quiet.

"You think you are."

Lin Wan stared at him.

"I've already lost you once."

Her father's face went pale.

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Her mother looked confused.

"Lost me?"

Lin Wan forced a smile.

"I mean..."

She swallowed.

"I've been afraid lately."

Her father slowly sat down.

"What are you afraid of?"

Lin Wan looked at him.

"Making the wrong decision."

He didn't answer.

Neither did her mother.

But something had changed.

For the first time, Lin Wan understood that the secret surrounding her family was much older than Blackstone.

And perhaps much closer than she had imagined.

Later that night, Lin Wan returned to her room.

She closed the door.

Then she opened the drawer of her old desk.

She remembered keeping a small notebook there.

She searched through the drawer.

Nothing.

Second drawer.

Nothing.

Third.

Still nothing.

Then her fingers touched something beneath the wooden panel.

She paused.

There was a faint gap.

Lin Wan pressed against it.

The panel moved.

A hidden compartment opened.

Inside was a small black envelope.

Her heart began to beat faster.

She took it out.

There was no name on it.

Only one sentence written on the front.

For Lin Wan. Only open when you are ready.

She stared at the handwriting.

She knew it.

Her father's handwriting.

Her hands trembled as she opened the envelope.

Inside was a single sheet of paper.

Only one sentence.

If you are reading this, something has already gone wrong.

Lin Wan stopped breathing.

Below it was a date.

June 18.

Today's date.

Her blood ran cold.

This wasn't a message from ten years ago.

Someone had written it recently.

Someone had hidden it in her room.

And her father had known she would find it.

Lin Wan turned the paper over.

There was another sentence.

Do not trust Blackstone.

A pause.

Then—

And do not trust the person who tells you he can destroy it.

Lin Wan's eyes widened.

Her mind immediately went to one person.

Gu Yanshen.

Her phone suddenly rang.

Unknown number.

She answered.

No one spoke.

Then a distorted voice whispered—

"Your father warned you too late."

The call ended.

Lin Wan stood motionless in the darkness.

Outside her window, the city lights flickered.

She looked down at the note again.

Then at the phone in her hand.

For the first time since her rebirth, she felt something she had almost forgotten.

Fear.

Not fear of dying.

Fear that the future she remembered was only the beginning.

And that the people closest to her had known the truth all along.

Lin Wan slowly folded the note.

Her eyes hardened.

If someone wanted to frighten her—

they had made the wrong choice.

Because she had already died once.

And there was nothing left for them to threaten her with.

She picked up her phone.

There was one number she needed to call.

Gu Yanshen.

Her finger hovered over his name.

Then she stopped.

A new message appeared.

Don't call him.

Lin Wan stared at the screen.

A second message followed.

He is already inside your family.

Her face turned cold.

And somewhere outside the window—

a black car quietly pulled away from the house.