In my past life, I welcomed Ruby into our home as our adopted daughter. She, in turn, utterly destroyed my family.
Mark and I poured every last penny into treating her illnesses.
Not only was she ungrateful, but she also killed our biological son.
After she yet again demanded money with no success, she revealed the truth about our son’s tragic death, then pushed me down the stairs with a smile on her face.
After I died, she had Mark institutionalized, and tricked my parents into shouldering massive debts.
Reborn into this life, I immediately tossed her back to where she belonged.
If she couldn’t appreciate a good life, then she could roll back to her hell!
I opened my eyes, shocked to find myself reborn on the very day we found Ruby.
At that moment, my husband, Mark, looked up at me, stars shining in his eyes.
“Honey, since you want to adopt her, let’s give her a name.”
“What should we call her?”
“How about Ruby? ‘Ru’ for joy, symbolizing eternal happiness, and ‘by’ for precious jade, representing beauty and value.”
“Let’s make her our forever happy little girl.”
Mark’s face was alight with dreams for the future.
At this moment, he didn’t have the prematurely white hair of my past life, nor was he the raving madman locked away in a mental institution.
He was in the prime of his life, untouched by half a lifetime of suffering.
Seeing my silence, he lowered his head and gently cooed at the baby in his arms.
My eyes welled up slightly.
In my past life, we had just gotten married when we found Ruby.
Even without a biological child of our own, we chose to adopt her.
She had a congenital cleft lip that needed surgery, and after being abandoned in the snow for too long, she was suffering from a persistent, dangerously high fever.
To pay for her treatment, we drained all our savings.
We even took on considerable debt, enduring the bewildered stares of our relatives.
After she was discharged from the hospital, she didn’t just need normal things like formula and diapers; she also required various medications for her ongoing treatment.
On top of that, she was a high-needs baby, crying incessantly at the slightest disturbance, unable to be left alone for a moment.
Mark’s parents had strong reservations about Ruby, feeling she was a huge burden, and they completely disregarded their adopted granddaughter.
In desperation, I had to quit my job and dedicate myself entirely to her care.
A constantly wailing infant, and me, unable to work because I was tied down with childcare.
The entire weight of our family rested squarely on Mark’s shoulders.
Under immense pressure, we had to give up on having our own child.
For this, Mark endured endless lectures and harsh words from his parents.
To protect Ruby and me, he even spread a rumor that he was infertile.
We were subjected to endless whispers and gossip, yet our love for Ruby never wavered.
But how did she repay us?
Later, when she was old enough to go to school, I was able to go back to work, improving our family’s quality of life.
Things were getting better and better, so Mark and I discussed having a second child.
When she found out, she secretly started putting birth control pills into our tea.
Later, she even showed up at our workplaces, screaming and causing a huge scene, trying to force us to give up on having a second child.
But we were dead set on having a child of our own.
She didn’t succeed that time. She cried, saying she was sorry and would never throw a tantrum again.
The child we had raised by hand was crying so heartbrokenly, that in the end, Mark and I believed her.
Not long after, our son, Leo, was born.
She seemed thrilled, actively feeding him formula, changing his diapers, and even washing his clothes.
She said, “Mom, you worked so hard for me, doing so much. Now it’s my turn to help you.”
We were so touched that she had grown up and become so sensible.
But we never imagined that a few months later, she would smother our baby boy in his crib.
After Leo was gone, Mark and I aged decades overnight.
Unaware of the truth, even after suffering the unbearable pain of losing a child, we continued to dote on her.
Until she reached adulthood, and her demands became even more outrageous.
When we couldn’t afford her lifestyle, she got involved with predatory high-interest loans, from some really shady lenders.
When her creditors came knocking, her first thought wasn’t repentance, but our “inheritance.”
She said, “Mom, Dad, I know I messed up. This is the last time. If you don’t forgive me, I’ll just have to die.”
Our hearts softened again, and we opened the door, ready to welcome our beloved daughter.
But it wasn’t our beloved daughter who walked through that door. It was a hungry wolf.
She behaved for a few days, then tricked Mark into leaving, and then told me the truth about our son’s tragic death.
She gesticulated wildly, excitedly telling me how her little brother had struggled, how he had stopped breathing.
“I stood right there next to him, watching his face turn red, until his tiny hands fell limp, and he slowly ran out of air.”
“If I could do it again, I’d make him die an even worse death.”
I lunged at her, wanting to fight her to the death, but she shoved me down the stairs, and I died a brutal death.
After I died, Mark fell into even deeper despair.
Losing a son in middle age, then a wife in his later years.
He developed suicidal depression, and Ruby used this as an excuse to have him sent to a mental institution.
Not content with that, she also tricked my parents into shouldering massive debts.
And yet, this heartless monster, she lived a life of ease and freedom.
I suppressed the hatred in my heart and blurted out, “‘Baby?’ I scoffed, ‘More like bad news.'”
“Honey, I don’t want to adopt her anymore.”
Mark looked stunned. “But you just said you wanted to adopt her. What made you change your mind so suddenly?”
I snatched the child from his arms, staring at the incessantly wailing Ruby.
“I just remembered something I once heard.”
“Some children are just born to bring bad karma, to make your life hell.”
“And these bad kids, they get their evil from their parents, you know.”
“Mark, think about it. If we had a child, would we ever abandon them? Even if they weren’t smart, or healthy, or beautiful, or even if they had a serious illness?”
Mark immediately replied, “Of course not. Even if it meant selling everything we owned, draining our life savings, and piling up debt, I would never give up on them.”
“See? That’s what normal people think.”
I took a deep breath. “The parents of this child, they’re not normal people.”
“There’s no telling if this child might have inherited their twisted genes.”
Reincarnation was too unbelievable, and society wasn’t ready for talk of it back then.
And my sudden change in demeanor, from doting to disgusted, would have been enough to convince anyone I’d lost my mind.
“Alright, you’re right. Then we won’t adopt her.”
Mark nodded, understanding.
Ruby, in my arms, seemed to understand our conversation and cried even harder.
Tears streamed down the tiny person’s face, her wails tearing through the air.
Her little hands flailed desperately, trying to grasp my clothes, as if by doing so, we wouldn’t abandon her.
Mark saw this and his face softened with pity.
“So, what do we do now?”
I seriously considered Mark’s question.
If we left Ruby here now, and someone else took her, then another kind soul would suffer.
But that possibility was low. After all, no one wants an extra child they know nothing about; who knows if she has any diseases?
Besides, Ruby’s face was disfigured by her cleft lip, and she had a persistent fever.
No one would willingly bring such trouble home.
But letting her freeze to death in this snow? That would be too easy for her.
I couldn’t let go of the grievances from my past life, yet my tormentor was just an innocent infant.
Even if I got my revenge, she wouldn’t even know it.
After careful consideration, I thought of a good place for her.
“Honey, let’s take her to the orphanage.”
A flicker of hatred flashed in my eyes.
Ruby once told me, playing on my sympathies, that if Mark and I hadn’t taken her in, she’d have been stuck in the hell of the orphanage.
She claimed to be incredibly grateful that Mark and I had saved her from that hell.
This time, I didn’t need her “gratitude.” I just wanted to send her back to where she belonged.
Ruby was still crying, gasping for breath.
Mark, seeing her pitiful state, wavered slightly. “Honey, she’s crying so pitifully. Maybe we could…”
I naturally wouldn’t let him change his mind. I cut him off directly.
“Honey, there are too many unfortunate people in the world. We’re just ordinary people; we can’t save them all.”
“Taking her to the orphanage out of goodwill is also a kind act.”
Mark could only nod in agreement.
Soon, Mark and I rode our bike to the orphanage gate.
As soon as Mark stopped, I carried Ruby over to a flowerbed by the entrance.
Ruby, who had cried herself tired, immediately started to wail again, her cries tearing through the air.
I curled my lips into a cold smile and gently placed her on the edge of the flowerbed.
As I stood up, I looked down at her. Her crying stopped for a moment, and I saw a torrent of hatred pour from her eyes.
A chill ran down my spine.
A terrifying thought pierced my mind: Could she have been reborn too?
This thought made the hatred in my heart surge, instantly engulfing me in its tide.
I couldn’t stop myself from raising my hand, aiming for her neck.
Just then, Mark called out from behind me, “Honey, it’s cold. Let’s head home soon. Mom and Dad are waiting.”
I snapped back to reality.
Heaven had given me a second chance, not to lead me down the path of despair again.
I had a wonderful life ahead of me. Even if I wanted revenge, I shouldn’t throw my entire life away for it.
“Okay,” I said.
We went home.
That very night, I pinned Mark to the bed.
He paused for a moment, then a blush crept onto his face.
“Honey, you’re a little different tonight, aren’t you?”
My passionate kisses were his only answer.
In this life, I wanted to have our child sooner.
I wanted to give him everything we had.
If there was any regret, it was that I had failed them both in my past life – him and our son.
Now, all I wanted was to make it up to them.
I wasn’t sure if Ruby had been reborn.
But I knew for sure that if she had, with her deranged and malicious personality, she would eventually come back for revenge.
Deep down, I almost *looked forward* to her return.
But to my disappointment, the next six years were uneventful.
In those six years, I accomplished a lot.
I quit my old job and, leveraging my foreknowledge, opened my own restaurant.
I also borrowed a lot of money and invested in old properties, just waiting for them to skyrocket in value.
And throughout those six years, I had kept tabs on Ruby.
She was no different from the other children at the orphanage.
They ate together, played together.
If anything was different, it was that the other children often picked on her.
They would snatch her food when adults weren’t looking, make her do extra chores.
They would even drag her into deserted corners and beat her up.
She often came back with bruises and scars, seeking help, but no one bothered to intervene.
She became the lowest of the low in the entire orphanage.
When I heard the news, I gave a bag of candy to Tommy, the neighbor’s kid.
He happily ran off.
His grandmother lived near the orphanage, and he often went there to play.
Once, he saw me near the orphanage, and noticing my look of disgust towards Ruby, he bravely approached me and asked, “Auntie, don’t you like that little girl?”
I nodded. “No, I don’t.”
He was often fed candy by me. Hearing my words, he immediately rushed into the orphanage and gave Ruby a hard slap.
Tommy was a wily kid; he’d deliver a quick slap and then vanish in a flash.
When he returned to me, I promptly handed him a handful of candy.
His eyes lit up, and with that, a new world opened for him.
We reached an unspoken agreement.
He was responsible for bullying, and I was responsible for the candy.
Tommy, eager for more sweets, even roped in other kids at the orphanage who hadn’t tasted candy before.
I was more than happy to see this play out.
In the seventh year after I abandoned Ruby, she disappeared from the orphanage.
No one knew where she had gone.
The orphanage staff searched frantically and reported her missing to the police, but she was nowhere to be found.
I secretly helped look for her a few times too.
If she could simply escape hell like that, it would be too easy for her.
Unfortunately, despite our extensive search, we couldn’t find her.
I pondered over it for a long time, but found no clues.
That unsettling thought rose again.
Could this stupid, malicious person have *really* been reborn?
I couldn’t help but feel annoyed.
“Mom, what’s wrong?”
My six-year-old son, Leo, asked in his sweet voice.
“Did Leo make you angry?”
My son was just like his dad—gentle and considerate by nature.
My heart softened, and all the sharp edges within me receded.
“No, Leo is wonderful.”
I stroked his head, and much of my lingering obsession faded.
If I couldn’t find her, then I would let her go for now.
A year after Ruby disappeared, I had given up on finding her.
But just then, she came looking for me.
That day, I was busy at the restaurant.
I had just brought a dish out from the kitchen when I saw a little beggar child rush in from outside.
I quickly put down the plate, ready to go forward and ask if she needed help.
Before I could reach her, she ran up to me and hugged my leg.
She sat on the floor, crying loudly, “Mommy, I’m your daughter!”
She cried as she looked up, revealing a pathetic little face.
In an instant, the entire place erupted.
In those days, abandoning a child, or having an affair and a child out of wedlock, was something people would scoff at.
The restaurant immediately buzzed with gossip.
The neighbors were already green with envy over our success.
Now, with an excuse to attack us, they all chimed in with accusations.
“Is that child really yours from outside your marriage?”
“Mrs. Johnson, that’s a terrible thing to say. Couldn’t they both have had her?”
“Then they must be heartless to abandon their own daughter just to have a son.”
“…”
People always sympathize with the weak, especially such a small child.
Ruby instantly became the object of everyone’s pity.
With just one appearance, and one sentence, she successfully stirred up everyone’s anger towards me.
She skillfully cast herself as the victim, turning everyone to her side.
At that moment, I knew for sure: Ruby had been reborn too.
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