Reborn to Be Rich

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the edge of the Underworld. My boyfriend, Jim, was fiercely guarding the passage to the Golden Shipthe only chance to be reborn as a wealthy scion. He said he had to wait for the unconscious Tanya Hayes, even as the ship was about to depart and the surrounding spirits roared with anger. In my last life, I used my own life to force him onto that ship. Later, we became celebrated socialites, while Tanya, when found, was barely clinging to life in the hands of human traffickers. He lightly dismissed it, saying she was ill-fated and lacked blessings, then turned and proposed to me. But on our wedding night, he slashed my throat with scissors, screaming that I had ruined Tanyas life. This time, watching his anxious, waiting back, I decided not to interfere. Let them be "star-crossed lovers" together; I wanted to see if their love could still be so cheap and grand once they landed in the slums.

The boarding gate for the Golden Ship ticket was crammed with hundreds of souls, utterly impassable. With only ten minutes left until the last ship departed, Jim defiantly stood his ground at the gangway.

"Get lost! You idiot! Do you know what missing this ship means?" A ghost, at its wit's end, roared.

Jim sneered, his gaze contemptuous. "Tanya isn't awake yet. No one gets on."

"He's lost his mind!" A trembling old man pointed at him, shaking with rage. "You'd ruin all of our next lives for your own selfish desires?"

"Exactly! If we miss the Golden Ship, we'll be reborn in the slums on a dinghy!" The shouts of anger surged like a tide, and Jim's expression grew increasingly impatient.

Suddenly, a young ghost charged forward, trying to force his way onto the ship. Instantly, Jim struck like lightning, grabbing the ghost by the neck and flinging him over ten yards away. "If you don't want to be annihilated, behave yourself!" His voice was utterly menacing. The ghosts recoiled in fear, never expecting this living CEO to be so ruthless even in death.

The Captain looked at me with a troubled expression, speaking in a voice everyone could hear, "Miss Hamilton, you come from a family of mystics. You must know that if this continues, the ship genuinely won't be able to depart." I slowly rose to my feet, and all eyes immediately turned to me. After all, as the only one present with connections to the Underworld, my words carried significant weight.

"Everyone, please don't rush."

"Since we're all friends who've made it this far together, of course we should leave together." These words struck like thunder, leaving all the ghosts on site dumbfounded.

"Miss Hamilton, does that mean?" someone asked, trembling.

Jims eyes lit up with wild joy, and he strode quickly to my side. "Holly, I knew you'd understand me best!" He squeezed my hand tightly, his voice trembling with excitement. "Tanya, she's always been frail and sickly. If she were reborn into a poor family by herself, wouldn't that be the end of her?"

I gently patted his back, soothingly saying, "You're right. How could I bear to see poor Tanya suffer?"

The other ghosts completely despaired, never having imagined I would condone Jim's outrageous behavior.

"But Miss Hamilton, there really isn't enough time" The Captain hesitated.

I waved my hand dismissively, "No rush. A little more waiting won't hurt."

Jim smugly surveyed his surroundings, his gaze seemingly saying: See? Even the Hamilton heiress is on my side. But he had no idea that I didnt need this run-down ship for my reincarnation. With the Hamilton familys standing in the Underworld, I could take a VIP passage to a wealthy family at any time. The only reason I crowded onto this ordinary ship with them in my last life was because I was worried their karma was too heavy to get into a good reincarnation. But them? They repeatedly trampled on kindness, taking my good intentions for granted. This lifetime, I wanted to personally watch them plummet into despair.

Time ticked by, second by agonizing second, amidst everyone's anxiety. Just at this critical moment, the unconscious Tanya finally stirred. "Jim darling" She slowly opened her eyes, seeing Jim guarding her side, and tears instantly streamed down her face. "You really didn't leave me!" Jims eyes welled up with tears of excitement. "Tanya, you're finally awake!"

However, in this deeply moving moment, the ferrys horn blared loudly C the last boarding time was up, and the Golden Ship slowly pulled away from the dock. As the ships departure whistle faded into the distance, the hopeful souls completely collapsed. That ship carried the promise of a life as a wealthy scion. And now, they could only watch hope vanish into the vast, ghostly fog.

"It's over, completely over" Some ghosts directly collapsed onto the ground, wailing. More hatred began to target the instigators. The white-haired elders hand trembled as he pointed at Jim. "You beast! You've doomed all of us to be poor ghosts on a broken ship!"

"And that conniving wretch faking illness!" Another ghost glared viciously at the newly awakened Tanya. "Not waking up sooner, not waking up later, but right now! It was clearly intentional!" Tanya was terrified by the sudden onslaught of curses, her face drained of color, and she trembled, hiding in Jims embrace. The curses all around them cut like knives, and Jim's face darkened, his fists clenched, yet he dared not retaliate.

Just as the tension reached its peak, I cleared my throat, and everyone instantly fell silent. "Everyone, whats done is done. No amount of yelling will change anything."

"The most important thing now is to figure out what to do next." The Captain asked with a worried expression, "Miss Hamilton, the Golden Ship is gone. Where are we souls supposed to go now?" I pretended to think for a moment, then slowly said, "It's not completely hopeless. I remember there's a temporary waiting room at the docks. We can stay there for now." As soon as these words were uttered, a glimmer of hope rekindled in the ghosts' eyes. Jim excitedly grabbed Tanya's hand, his tone relaxed, "See? Holly always finds a way." Tanya looked at me gratefully, "Holly, darling, if it weren't for you, we really wouldn't know what to do" I smiled faintly. "We're all friends. No need to be so polite."

Half an hour later, our group of distressed spirits arrived at the dilapidated waiting room by the dock. It was damp and cold here, a world away from the luxurious interiors of the Golden Ship we'd just seen. The ghosts managed to find spots in the damp corners, leaning tiredly against the moldy walls. Just then, the Captain's face changed dramatically, and he rushed over. "Bad news!" he said, panting. "I just received notice from the port authority: due to an upgrade of the Underworld system, no ships will be departing for the human world for at least six months!" This news was like a thunderclap, plunging all the ghosts into utter despair.

"Six months? So we're stuck in this dump for six months?"

"After six months, maybe even the worst ships will be gone, and we'll be stuck as wandering spirits forever!"

Despite the general panic, Jim appeared unusually calm. He put his arm around Tanya, saying nonchalantly, "What's the panic? It's just waiting six months, isn't it? It's a bit run-down here, but at least it's shelter. No harm in waiting until the system's fixed." Hearing his dismissive tone, the ghosts' anger was instantly ignited. "It's easy for you to say! If it weren't for you" I quickly cut off the impending conflict, pulling out a shimmering spirit charm. "Everyone, don't panic. I'll contact my connections in the Underworld right away to see if we can find a solution." The charm glowed golden, and soon there was a response. I feigned a surprised expression and turned to everyone. "Good news! I've arranged for an internal special ship in three days that can take us to be reborn into middle-class families!"

The ghosts heard this and were reborn with hope, thanking me profusely. Jim also breathed a sigh of relief, tightly embracing Tanya. "Tanya, did you hear? We'll be reborn together soon!" Tanya's eyes welled with tears, and she squeezed his hand. "Jim darling, meeting you in this life is truly my greatest blessing"

Watching this self-indulgent couple, a mischievous smile played on my lips. I had indeed contacted the Underworld and applied for an internal special ship. However this ship only had seven seats. And here we were, including Jim and Tanya, exactly eight ghosts.

Three days later, it would be their time to choose. Would they abandon the woman they loved to save themselves, or would they stay with her in this dilapidated waiting room, forever losing the chance to be reborn? I was eager to see what kind of test their so-called true love could truly withstand.

Over the next two days, the dilapidated waiting room by the dock became our temporary refuge. Although the conditions were harsh, at least it provided shelter. Besides the occasional ship's whistle, we could barely manage to settle in. Yet, some people seemed to have no idea what "enough is enough" meant.

On the first evening, I was reviewing the reincarnation regulations issued by the Underworld when I heard rustling from a corner of the waiting room. I turned my head to see Jim stealthily taking a perpetual lamp from the altar. "Jim, what are you doing?" I asked, feigning confusion. He turned around, guilty as charged, pretending to be calm. "Tanya's afraid of the dark. I'm taking this to light her way."

"But this is a sacred lamp consecrated to King Yama. How can you just move it?" The old man nearby couldn't help but interject. Jim impatiently waved his hand. "Just borrowing it for a bit; it's not like I'm not putting it back! Besides, we'll be leaving soon. King Yama wouldn't be so stingy, would he?" With that, he swaggered over and placed the perpetual lamp beside Tanya.

Tanya took the lamp, sweetly clutching his arm. "Jim darling, you're so thoughtful" I watched the scene with cold eyes, not interfering.

The next morning, Jim had a new trick up his sleeve. While the other ghosts were still resting, he secretly snuck to the herb garden behind the waiting room, frantically picking precious Soul-Restoring Grass. "Tanya's soul is too weak; eating more Soul-Restoring Grass will help her recover faster." Jim reasoned, plucking the herbs. I watched him brew large quantities of Soul-Restoring Grass into a medicinal soup, serving only Tanya, while the other ghosts could only watch with longing eyes. Someone finally couldn't hold back and whispered, "If he keeps picking like this, what if the rest of us get sick?" Jim heard it and scoffed disdainfully, "Tanya's health is paramount. What do you coarse people know?" The ghost was fuming at his retort but still held back.

Late the next night, Tanya suddenly pouted, saying she wanted to hear music. Jim actually dismantled the ancient zither in the waiting room, saying he would make her a music box. "Wait, that zither is the property of the Underworld" The Captain tried to dissuade him. "So what?" Jim continued to dismantle it without looking up. "Tanya's happiness is more important than any broken antique. It's just a broken zither!" His words made all the ghosts present gasp. This was a sacred artifact with a thousand-year history, and he was just dismantling it? I watched Jim intently making the music box for Tanya, my perception undergoing a drastic change. In my previous life, I had always believed his actions stemmed from affection for a "sister" he had grown up with. Now, it seemed he was merely accustomed to trampling on rules, accustomed to disregarding others' rights to satisfy his own desires.

What was even more sickening was that Tanya seemed completely accustomed to his misdeeds. She lay in the corner illuminated by the perpetual lamp, drinking the medicinal soup brewed from precious Soul-Restoring Grass, playing with the music box made from zither strings, looking like a princess enjoying herself. "Jim darling is truly the best man in the world!" she cooed. "To be protected by you like this, I'm simply the happiest woman in the world!" Hearing this, I almost couldn't help but laugh out loud. Happy? If she knew how many people's possessions Jim had stolen to spoil her, how many sacred objects he had trampled upon, would she still feel happy? If she knew that because of their selfishness and greed, everyone had missed the best chance for reincarnation, would she still take this indulgence for granted?

The night was as dark as ink, the waiting room quiet save for the sound of crashing waves. I lay on the cold floor, staring at the damaged ceiling above, my plan for revenge growing clearer. Tomorrow was the day the internal special ship would arrive.

The third day, at noon, I was packing my belongings, preparing for the upcoming reincarnation opportunity, when I suddenly heard urgent shouts from a corner of the waiting room. "Holly Hamilton! Come here quickly!" Jims voice was clearly panicked. I put down my things and hurried over. Tanya lay on the floor, her face as pale as paper, her body trembling slightly.

"Whats wrong with her?" I knelt to examine Tanya. Jims eyes were tear-filled, tightly gripping Tanya's hand. "I don't know either. She was fine just a moment ago, and then suddenly she became like this. She says her soul feels like it's dissipating, like she's about to vanish!" I carefully sensed Tanyas soul-power fluctuations; they were indeed a bit unstable, but this level was far from life-threatening. "It should just be a normal reaction before reincarnation," I said truthfully. "Newly deceased souls often experience similar symptoms before being reborn. She just needs to rest."

However, Jim didn't think so. He suddenly grabbed my sleeve, his eyes unusually resolute. "No, this isn't a normal reaction! Tanyas condition is very serious, I can feel it!"

"You must use your ancestral jade bracelet to save her!" Hearing this, I was stunned. The ancestral jade bracelet was a family heirloom of the Hamilton family, passed down for a thousand years, imbued with endless spiritual power. If used, it would not only severely damage the bracelet itself but also potentially cause me to lose the protection of my ancestors during reincarnation. This precious item, he wanted me to use it to treat Tanyas minor soul-power instability? "Jim, what are you talking about?" I tried to explain, "The ancestral jade bracelet cannot be easily used, and besides, Tanya's condition"

"I don't care!" Jim suddenly stood up, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Tanya is in so much pain right now. Can you really bear to see her suffer?" His emotions grew more agitated, his voice becoming sharper. "Didn't you say you'd treat Tanya like your own sister, just like me? Now that she's in trouble, you're here quibbling!" Other ghosts heard the commotion and gathered around. Seeing the situation, everyone exchanged bewildered glances. "Mr. Hayes, how precious is an ancestral jade bracelet? How can it be used so casually?" An old soul cautiously advised. Jim glared at him. "What's it to you! Is Tanyas life not more important than a broken bracelet?" He turned back to me, his tone filled with an undeniable threat. "Holly Hamilton, I'm saying this again: bring out the ancestral jade bracelet!"

"If you don't save Tanya, then we're completely done. From now on, we'll be strangers!" Faced with his ultimatum, my heart was a mix of emotions. In my previous life, I had compromised and retreated countless times under such threats. For his smile, to maintain our relationship, I could give everything. But now, as I re-examined everything from an outsider's perspective, I realized how foolish I had been. He had never truly cared about my feelings, nor had he considered my situation. In his eyes, I was nothing more than an inexhaustible resource, a tool to be exploited at will.

However, on the surface, I still maintained my former obedience. I slowly took off the warm, jade-like bracelet from my wrist. The bracelet was carved with exquisite phoenix patterns. "Since you put it that way, how can I stand by and do nothing?" Jims face instantly lit up with joy when he saw the jade bracelet. "I knew you loved me most!" He took the bracelet and quickly placed it on Tanyas wrist. A gentle green glow instantly enveloped Tanyas body, and her previously pale face quickly regained its rosy color. In just a few breaths, Tanya opened her eyes, looking at Jim weakly but clearly. "Jim darling, I feel much better Thank you!" She then turned to me, her eyes full of gratitude. "Holly, darling, I'll never forget this kindness. I'll surely repay your life-saving grace in the future!" I smiled and nodded, but my heart sneered. Life-saving grace? Her minor ailment, even without the jade bracelet, would have lasted an hour at most. And my ancestral jade bracelet was the essence of our Hamilton familys centuries-old heritage. To use such a precious treasure to treat a "symptom" that didn't even need treatmentthat was probably the most absurd thing in the world. Even more ridiculous, Jim still looked utterly entitled, as if everything I sacrificed was simply expected. "Alright, Tanya's fine. Let's get ready for reincarnation!" He happily took Tanya's hand. Watching their intimate gestures, I finally made up my mind. Since he cared so much about Tanya, the next choice would be etched into his memory forever!