The tearing pain mixed with the ear-piercing sound of metal friction was Lin Yu’an’s last memory.
He remembered the truck, remembered the container that fell off uncontrollably, and the terrified screams of the crowd around...
"Buzz—"
Suddenly, Lin Yu’an sat up from the bed, his chest heaving violently, and fine beads of cold sweat covered his forehead.
An unfamiliar ceiling... no, a familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling.
He looked around, cheap IKEA-style furniture, a desk scattered with several heavy English textbooks, this is... the first home he shared with Aliya?
Lin Yu’an was somewhat dazed, wasn’t he crushed into a pulp by a fallen container from a truck while evading the immigration bureau on his motorcycle in Montana?
He instinctively touched his body, no pain, no bloodstains, limbs intact.
Instinctively searching for his phone, trembling hands grabbed the charging iPhone X and lit up the screen—
June 12, 2020, 11:30, Saturday.
The screen lit up, and the lock screen wallpaper was a smiling blond girl, the background the vast blue sky and blooming cornflowers common in Texas.
Lin Yu’an’s pupils suddenly contracted!
He had been reborn! Reborn into his senior year in the United States as a study abroad student!
Aliya... the girlfriend who always held a place in his heart is still alive at this time!
This date! This time!
"Fu*k!"
"Damn it!"
Lin Yu’an let out a low roar, his heart was gripped tightly by an invisible hand, almost suffocating!
He had returned to the moment that haunted him with guilt for many years! If only he could have been by her side at that time...
"Aliya!"
Lin Yu’an jumped off the bed, didn’t even have time to put on his jacket, grabbed the car keys and phone from the desk, and rushed out!
Almost tumbling, he dove into his second-hand Ford pickup, floored the accelerator, the engine roared as he sped towards the suburbs.
The highways in Texas are wide and straight, but at that moment, every second felt as long as a century!
He desperately and incessantly ordered Siri to dial Aliya’s phone, but damn it, the phone just wouldn’t connect at the critical moment!
Lin Yu’an began to unconsciously recall moments from his past life with Aliya.
A few months after their marriage, precisely on this day!!
Aliya, with a hint of unease and expectation, told him on the phone that she was pregnant, with twins!
These two children were so precious! Aliya cherished them dearly, but she understood Lin Yu’an’s upbringing environment and wasn’t sure if he would like these two children.
After receiving the call, Lin Yu’an was silent for a long time.
The memories of his upbringing flashed back repeatedly in his mind, he was going to be a father...
Listening to the silence from Lin Yu’an on the other end of the phone, Aliya’s voice began to carry a slight sob, saying it didn’t matter, she would raise the two children herself, even if they didn’t have a father!
"No, no, no, Aliya, listen to me, I’m very happy!"
"I’m just... just unsure if I’m qualified to be a good father..."
Aliya immediately broke into a smile, joyfully praising Lin Yu’an, saying he was so smart, brave, considerate, and most importantly, could cook pretty good Chinese cuisine.
He would definitely become a great father!
They thought their beautiful life was about to begin.
But then the sound of gunshots! Intense and densely-packed gunshots! Came from the Little Ladybug maternity store where Aliya was!
He clearly remembered receiving the notification call from the police only after the iPhone X was charged to 100%.
The standard charger had a lower wattage, actual full charge took about 3 hours, and 20 minutes could charge approximately 12%.
When leaving the dorm, the charge was at 80%, so he must contact Aliya within half an hour!
"Faster! A little faster!" Lin Yu’an roared, eyes red, madly flooring the gas!
He again recalled Aliya’s tremendous effort for him in his past life.
In the previous life, to earn a bit more money, relying on his decent cooking skills, he secretly worked cash jobs at a bustling Chinese restaurant off-campus.
But didn’t expect a clash with a banana kitchen helper would lead to resentment and being reported to the immigration bureau.
A cold notice from the immigration bureau directly announced his F-1 student visa status faced termination for "unauthorized work".
The International Student Office at Texas Tech University also expressed helplessness.
Seeing graduation only steps away yet having to face deportation for this reason, his future seemed bleak.
Just when he was at his wits’ end, nearly despairing, it was Aliya, his girlfriend he met during a freshman project group.
Upon learning of his crisis, she calmly said to him, "Darling, let’s get married, then you’ll get a green card."
Aliya, fearing Lin Yu’an might doubt the purity of this marriage, even made a small confession.
She said she was charmed by Lin Yu’an, the "Chinese warm-hearted man," felt comfortable being with him, he was considerate, and his days with her matched her expectations of post-marriage life.
The more he recalled, the stronger his guilt grew! Finally, under Lin Yu’an’s speeding driving, the adorable ladybug sign of the Little Ladybug maternity store appeared in view.
He sharply steered, the pickup emitted a sharp tire friction sound, crashing to a stop at the store entrance, not even turning off the engine, and burst through the door.
But he immediately came back to the car, rummaged through it, and then dashed into the Little Ladybug store again.
Soft music played in the store as usual, several young mothers were pushing strollers, teasing their babies, selecting merchandise, everything looked so calm.
"Aliya! Where’s Aliya?"
Regardless of the strange looks from others, his gaze scanned every corner like a radar.
His heart, due to extreme tension, felt as if it were frying on a scorching pan every second.
Finally, in the bed linen section dazzling with choices, that figure he dared not recall in detail for years collided into his sight!
It’s her! Really her!
Aliya was turned away from him, her tall figure and golden hair clearly visible, and her movements in choosing items were filled with motherly happiness.
She was holding a soft pale yellow baby blanket, her fingertips gently brushing over it, her side profile radiating a maternal soft glow.
That was a scene he had never had the chance to savor in the past life but had been repeatedly reappearing in countless midnight dreams.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still.
All the noise, all the guilt, melted as he saw her safe and sound, causing his heart to relax.
"Aliya—!"
Lin Yu’an’s voice carried uncontrollable tremors and almost overflowing excitement!
He didn’t even dare to blink, afraid this was just a illusion before his death!
Hearing the voice, Aliya turned around in amazement, and when the light green eyes saw it was him, her eyes instantly overflowed with uncontainable joy!
"Darling, why are you here?"
---
(Hello new readers, the first Chapter of Alone in the Wilderness is about to begin! Look forward to the first-ever Wilderness Solo Living champion from China!)
Upcoming content preview:
("Life Below Zero" depicts how the protagonist builds log cabins in Alaska, hunts and lives cooperatively with other residents.)
("Wilderness Solo Living - Frozen Throne" describes the protagonist accepting challenges from other champion-level competitors, also lays the foundation for the protagonist to adopt a polar bear here.)
("Montana Farm Chapter" describes how the protagonist leverages information asymmetries from the past life to harvest the stock market, bind interests with other capitals, and eventually purchase a 30,000-acre large farm.)
("China Challenge" illustrates how the protagonist conducts wilderness challenges within the stringent legal conditions domestically)
("Sailing and Hunting Chapter" narrates how the protagonist learns to sail, sea fish, dive, and spear hunt.)
("Hunting in Greenland Island" [current progress] tells the protagonist hunting seals and musk oxen in Greenland Island, appreciating the icebergs beauty at sea, experiencing the life of the Inuit people, participating in the Greenland dog sled race,)