Kaleidoscope

001.2 | Gratitude for Saving Me

Upon opening his eyes for the second time in this world, Qi Sying was greeted by the sight of himself in yet another white room. The difference is that he was able to immediately recognize the type of room in which he was staying.

After perceiving numbing pain in his left hand, Qi Sying made a short sigh. He doesn't have to turn his wrist to see that he has a dextrose line attached to it. Using his right arm, he soothed the area from his brows up to his temples in a gentle manner.

The discomfort is still present, but it can be tolerated for the time being.

"System, what just happened?" He inquired after double-checking that he was the only one in the room.

[Host fainted. You were sent to the hospital by your co-workers. Anytime later, you would have died. You have been sleeping for half a day.]

"Half a day?" Qi Sying rubbed the inside of his brows together. "What's going on?"

[I am waiting for host to wake up. Do you want to receive the memories of the original soul?]

Qi Sying hummed. "Will it be painful?"

[Probably.]

"Eh, what do you mean by probab-"

He is still not done with his question but the answer already fulfilled his doubt. The owner of the body had lived for twenty-three years. The memories of those twenty-three years were compressed in a small file that was injected to his mind. 

It is only the beginning that is painful. Once the memories began to recede, the information flooded into his mind like a river. Waves of information sorted by importance appeared before his closed eyes, providing him with a snippet of the original person's entire life. 

Qi Sying felt as if years had passed, but it had only been a few seconds. When he finally opened his eyes, he felt as if he had always owned the memories.

Jun Zihao is the name of the original body.

Jun Zihao is the fifth son of the affluent Jun family. Though they were not the highest shareholders of the industry, their prestige is still recognized due to their contribution since the previous dynasty.

He has four older brothers, all of whom are elite in every way, from looks to their skills and intelligence. This caused many people to look at them like idols and worship them like gods. The father and mother could only proudly compliment their excellent sons. 

Jun Zihao, on the other hand, is a tad different. 

He didn't have the sensible and mature temperament, instead, he is more vibrant and spirited. He was fawned with attention, often tolerated by his parents and brothers. 

Because he was the youngest, he wasn't expected to do much work. As a result, when the youngest master grew up, he became a wastrel, squandering money on frivolous items, displaying an impulsive, arrogant, and uncaring temperament. 

At first, the family assumed it was just a phase. None of the four brothers had this phase, they had no idea Jun Zihao was veering off course. They didn't want to control him because they all wanted to give him a free and happy life. 

But this freedom just brought the youth straight to the wrong path. Children in his age were easily influenced by the adults. He admired his brothers but they were always out to do work. Thus, his attention was shifted towards his upperclassmen that were part of a gang and joined them.

This is the most difficult period in Jun Zihao's life. He prefers to be out on the streets with his delinquent friends than to be in school. Even though he is still not old enough to drink, he would go home late smelling booze. He even had his ears and tongue pierced and wore vulgarly decorated accessories.

He could have gotten a tattoo if his brothers hadn't stopped him. They were furious when they discovered he had pierced his skin. Jun Zihao has such smooth skin that their mother would always scold them if any part of him was scratched. And now he's asking for a tattoo? Mother Jun cried all night, spurring the brothers to take the initiative and reprimand Jun Zihao for the first time.

They thought that their words will move Jun Zihao since he is the type that would always listen to them. Little did they know that it triggered Jun Zihao's anger that would cause their relationship to fall further apart.

He had become more rebellious, would not come home unless he out of money. He would get drunk with random people and almost went into prison when he dared to shoplift. The cute and adorable youth could no longer be found. 

He had long lost his path.

Jun Zihao remained on his reckless attitude until the last year of his high school. A life-threatening event suddenly happened that made him take a hundred and eighty turn just to look at what kind of life he was throwing away. 

Even though this event nearly cost him his life, it was enough to shake him out of his stupor.

A fight broke out between rival gangs from two distinct locales crossed their paths in someone's turf. Jun Zihao did not want to participate in the fight but could not just leave without permission. He decided to wait on the sidelines and flee if things had become too grave.

It began as a simple fistfight before a gun was pulled and shots were fired. Everything became chaotic, and Jun Zihao was trapped in it.

Only one shot was fired in the whole event. And by chance, Jun Zihao was nearby and took the bullet straight to his head. The authorities were already alerted by the fight but it still took them a while to arrive. 

Jun Zihao was left on the floor by his so-called friends who did not even care to call an ambulance. He can't feel anything other than the burning pain on his head and the grey-clouded sky that seemed to mourn on his misfortune.

Jun Zihao can feel the end of his life coming.

They say that when someone is about to die, they will see all the events of their life. This is exactly what is happening to him. 

In his half-conscious state, Jun Zihao recalled all the events on his life. Everything played before his muddled eyes, giving him insights on what kind of person he had become. 

He is a scum, a very unfilial child. He exchanged the love of his good natured and loving family to these terrible people. Jun Zihao knows that his seniors were talking about him behind his back. They were only good to him since they know he has money. 

It is painful. He could feel the scorching metal burning his head. He wanted to ask for his parents' forgiveness but he felt like it's already too late. He didn't want to be hated; he feared it more than dying. 

With eyes wet with tears, Jun Zihao thought that if ever God will give him another chance to live, he will use it to become a better person.

He will use this chance to change.

As though God had heard his prayers, Jun Zihao was rescued by someone. When the gunshot was fired, an external presence came into rescue. 

They caught all the delinquents causing the trouble including the person who brought the gun. That's where they discovered Jun Zihao, who was unconscious. They rushed him to the hospital, where he was treated right away.

A bullet to the head is extremely lethal, and only a few people could survive such an operation. However, the doctors were able to extract the bullet from his brain. He then went into a three-day coma before waking up. 

Jun Zihao never imagined that he would be able to have a new lease in life. So when his brothers began scolding him and his father raised his voice for the first time to teach him, he did not complain and listened intently. 

He knows that it was his mistake so it was normal for them to punish him. He placed all their emotions and feelings in his very memory, remembering this day that he had been reborn.

He will never forget the blessings that he had received.

Jun Zihao reformed completely from that day forward. He reverted to his previous self, who is still obedient courteous. He also learned proper manners and would interact with people in the same manner that he used to. 

He was brought to City A to be rehabilitated because he was injured. His mother and two brothers accompanied him to the hospital for treatment. After a year, he returned to school to continue his studies.

While he was recuperating, Jun Zihao inquired as to who had saved him. Even though he was unconscious, he remembered that someone saved him from bleeding to death. One of his brothers informed him that it was the young master from the Ru family who happened to be passing by on the way when he noticed the conflict. 

At first, the Ru Family's young master thought it was just a gang fight, but when a gun was fired, the young master quickly ordered his guards to put an end to the chaos.

After hearing the story, Jun Zihao felt a surge of warm gratitude on his heart. Suddenly, the young master Ru, Ru Weimin, became his hero model. If not because of this person, Jun Zihao could be dead right now. 

Thus, he dedicated himself to become someone so useful so that he could return the favor that person gave him. When someone gave him something valuable, he would return it tenfold.

As a result, he put forth every effort to improve his skills while stationed in City A. Jun Zihao is resolute despite his lack of intelligence in comparison to his older brothers. He filled in the lacking intelligence with hard work. 

Although he did not graduate with the highest honors, his efforts were appreciated by the university. He was given a recommendation letter that will give him a sure-chance to pass his interview. Not only that, it also secured him a very high position.

After getting his diploma, Jun Zihao returned to his home to become an intern to the Ru Company. He did not tell his family about this decision since the Jun and Ru family are competitors of the same industry. 

Even though there was no enmity between them, they are still two opposing forces. Jun Zihao did not want to use his influence to enter the company and more likely will not be accepted if they know about his origin. So, he started like how everyone in the company started - as an intern. 

There were many people who wanted to join the Ru industries. Jun Zihao was not surprised when he met a dozen of applicants vying for the available positions. Most of them are fresh graduates from prestigious universities. It did not make him feel discouraged; instead, he used will power and perseverance to show his worth. 

Even though he is not perfect like everyone is, his efforts are enough to catch the attention of his seniors. They liked how he was dedicated to his work, how he was close to his peers, and his sensibility when talking to various topics. As a result of this, he was promoted to the position of full-time employee.

Jun Zihao did not waste their time. He knows that even though he was still a new employee and his interference cannot affect the main work, he still made everything perfect. He always believed that no matter how small his actions were, if accumulated, some day it will be rewarded. 

However, during his intern days, Jun Zihao realized that something is wrong in his body. 

It all began with a few brief dizzy episodes. It only occurred when he did not have enough sleep or had not eaten any meals. Sleeping and eating have become increasingly difficult for him because of his hectic schedule. There were times when he had to remain awake for more than three days.

He thought that he could just recover the lost sleep during break time or eat extra during meals. But the lost meals and sleep are not something one could easily make up. 

The symptoms had worsened over time. He would constantly lose his balance, feeling as if the world was spinning around him. On rare occasions, the nausea will kick in afterward, and he will vomit whatever was in his stomach. It will then be accompanied by tinnitus and a weakening of the limbs. 

It's no longer a passing sickness. Jun Zihao went to the doctor to check his health. 

Technology has evolved and changed over time. The X-rays had become adequate enough to pinpoint the location of tumors and other things accurately. What Jun Zihao found was a small shrapnel that was left suspended in his brain. The people who operated him many years ago must have missed it.

The doctor has no idea why the symptoms occurred many years later. 

An operation is needed to remove the object, but the doctor fears that he will not survive it this time. He asked to get the participation of his family, but Jun Zihao refused to do so. 

He is confident that if he is cautious and does not do anything strenuous, he will be able to continue. Furthermore, this is the result of the mistakes he made all through his darkest years. He was still filled with regret and didn't want to add to the shame that he had already brought upon his family.

Jun Zihao relied on medicine to at least alleviate his pain. However, as time passed, Jun Zihao's symptoms became erratic, and he became seriously ill. 

It is in this timeline that Qi Sying is transferred to the body. 

Jun Zihao experienced an intense headache that almost made him think he was about to die. Like what happened to Qi Sying, a colleague noticed his suffering and brought him to the hospital. Fortunately, the private doctor that he consulted is from the same hospital, so the diagnosis was only migraine. 

When everyone left the scene, Jun Zihao asked if something had changed in his body. The doctor confirmed that the shrapnel is in a very disadvantageous position and it is now affecting his brain. 

If this continues, the metal will lacerate his brain, which will result in his early death. The doctor had the very important notion of contacting his relatives about this matter. Still, Jun Zihao refused to agree.

As for this thought, Jun Zihao is not afraid of death. 

He could have died a long time ago if Ru Weimin had not saved him. This death was just an extension. Maybe life was just giving him a chance to rebound from all the good things that he had ignored before. 

He was already satisfied, so he did not need to worry about extending his life. All he was thinking right now was what he should do to repay all the debts in his remaining time. 

This prayer was answered when he was suddenly promoted to become the CEO's assistant. Little did he know that his little accident made the CEO look over his history, where he found out that he was the youngest son of the Jun family.

Ru Weimin has no qualms with whatever competition the two businesses have, but if this young man is here to become a spy, then he has no second thoughts about firing him. So he took him to work beside him, doing various jobs while observing his actions. 

Jun Zihao never thought that he would be promoted this fast, so he gratefully accepted all the responsibility. 

He never questioned Ru Weimin when he asked him to brew him a cup of coffee, get his lunch, park his car, or even throw out the garbage. Other people know that the CEO is just bullying Jun Zihao, but the person seems to be ignorant. To see Ru Weimin satisfied with his work is enough for him, nothing else. 

While the good old days are happening, a great event is said to be approaching. This prompted the CEO to announce the year's most important project, one that would bring them fortune if they were successful.

Jun Zihao was confident in his skills, so he did not think twice about taking the project. The other department heads also believed in this newbie's strength, so they handed him the project. Jun Zihao did not waste time and started working on his proposals. 

Everything happened smoothly. Jun Zihao's proposals are very unique, and the heads are having a hard time choosing. They never thought that he would be able to come up with these designs, so they decided to fund them all. The preparations took three months, and the day of the presentation happened. Of course, the one who will handle the presentation is Jun Zihao himself. 

There were a dozen companies that attended the event. Each of them presented their work. The panel remained in their seats as they watched each presenter show their products. Ru Weimin thought that these were just simple ideas compared to Jun Zihao's. He started to look at the young man in a new light. Well, that was, until the company that presented before them showed their products. 

The Xin Company made the most wonderful and interesting presentation that day. It's just that all the products were identical to those of the Ru industries. 

All the members of the Ru group stared in their products in astonishment.

Why is it the same with the other groups? 

The presenter of the Xin Company said that they finished these products three months ago and used the remaining time to enhance the product. Everyone looked at Jun Zihao, who was dumbstruck. He knows that they all think that he stole the idea of the group. But... but...

But how is that possible?

Ru Industries left the event. All the funds they used were wasted. This could still be settled by firing Jun Zihao, but someone from the Xin Company filed a case of plagiarism. 

How is it plagiarism? They hadn't even presented it yet! But this brought Ru Industries lower. Ru Weimin dragged Jun Zihao and threw him out of the building. 

Jun Zihao wanted to explain that he did not steal the idea, but nobody listened. Somebody dug his past out and showed everyone that he was once a delinquent. This made all the people look at him indifferently, thinking that they were nurturing a black-hearted lotus. It seems that his appearance is just for show. 

When he was thrown out, he accidentally hit his head on the ground. This made his sight blacken for a while before pain intruded into his body. Nobody helped him when he was already vomiting on the side. He still managed to come home at that time, but he knew that his time was almost done. 

Jun Zihao did not want to leave the world with a tainted image, so he tried his best to collect evidence. He found out that his assistant, a new female employee, had leaked the information to the other groups. Because it was entirely impossible to have identical products at the same time, Jun Zihao quickly interrogated the woman. 

Maybe due to the pain in his head, Jun Zihao was not able to think well. When he went to visit the house of the woman, he just knocked on the door when she started screaming. 

She yelled that someone was trying to rape her. Jun Zihao is still on the doorstep. How is that possible? But the neighbors already knew Jun Zihao from the news, so they quickly apprehended him and beat him up. 

He had reached his limit, and Jun Zihao died on the spot. The people who were looking at him suddenly noticed his limp body. They tried to bring him to the hospital, but Jun Zihao had long since died. 

The private doctor who had been taking good care of Jun Zihao asked them what they did. They said that he had come to rape the woman. The doctor almost smacked their heads because of their nonsense.

Jun Zihao's body was currently in a delicate state. He is not allowed to move intensely. What's more, raping someone is more difficult. 

The news announced Jun Zihao's death. Both Ru Weimin and the Jun family were surprised by the sudden information. Jun Zihao? Dead? Isn't he still in City A? What is he doing here? Why is he dead?

The questions were answered when they found the cold body. The Jun family mourned his death and blamed Ru Weimin for ruining Jun Zihao's life. 

Ru Weimin said that Jun Zihao was a traitor that only knew how to bite the hand that fed him. The Jun family defended Jun Zihao, saying that he was here to serve Ru Weimin because he had once saved his life. 

Who would have thought that the same person would kill him?

The doctor also added his testimony that Jun Zihao was already on his death bed and that he only had a few months to live. Ru Weimin thought that something was wrong and interrogated the woman who made the accusations.

After the intense torture, he found out that the ones who stole all the ideas were the Xin Company, and she was the one who leaked the information. It was only now that Ru Weimin realized Jun Zihao was a genuine person who only wanted to be in his good graces.

But that person was already dead.

The Ru industries managed to recover their reputation by filing a case against the Xin Companies. They won the lawsuit since all the evidence was complete. 

The Jun family had long treated the Ru family as their enemy and had never contacted them with good will. Ru Weimin had lived his life with grief until he grew old and died. His resentment never ceased, even after he passed on to the afterlife.

Jun Zihao, who wanted to repay his debts, never wanted to end everything like this.