I Was Reborn in 2001, and the First Thing I Did Was Save My Girlfriend’s Mother

Lin Feng, a middle-aged man who died saving his wife from a car explosion, awakens in the body of an eighteen-year-old boy in the summer of 2001. He quickly realizes he has been reincarnated to the period just after his college entrance exam, a time filled with regrets from his previous life. His first act in this new reality is to save An Yanrong, a beautiful and elegant young widow working at a supermarket, from a falling crate of apples. During their interaction, Lin Feng discovers that An Yanrong is the mother of Liu Wei, the woman who would become his wife in his past life. This revelation forces him to navigate a complex emotional landscape as he seeks to correct the mistakes of his previous existence while building a better future for himself and his family. The narrative takes a dramatic turn when Lin Feng recalls a traumatic event from his past life: a rainy night murder in an alley that left a profound psychological scar. Determined to change this outcome, he rushes to the location where the tragedy is about to occur. There, he encounters Zuo Jingwen, the daughter of a powerful underground syndicate boss who has recently died. Zuo Jingwen is being ambushed by three thugs hired by her half-brother, who seeks to seize the family empire. Wearing a Sun Wukong mask to conceal his identity, Lin Feng intervenes, using lime powder and tactical strikes to defeat the attackers and rescue Zuo Jingwen. He introduces himself as the Great Sage before disappearing into the night, leaving Zuo Jingwen intrigued and grateful. The following day, Zuo Jingwen arrives at the supermarket with her subordinates, including the one-armed Wu Yuhu, to find the mysterious boy who saved her. Lin Feng feigns ignorance and acts as a timid, stuttering employee to avoid drawing attention to himself, a performance that briefly worries An Yanrong but ultimately satisfies Zuo Jingwen, who leaves without exposing him. However, Zuo Jingwen remains suspicious of his true nature and later tracks him down at his home. She confronts him in a private booth at a bar, pressing him for answers about his identity and motives. Under pressure, Lin Feng explains that he wore the mask to protect his family from potential retaliation and that his actions were driven by a spontaneous urge to help. He claims that her beauty disarmed him, a confession that softens Zuo Jingwen’s hardened exterior. Moved by his words and his apparent vulnerability, she accepts him as a younger brother and offers him her protection and resources. Lin Feng, recognizing the strategic value of this alliance, agrees to work with her. He begins to analyze the political situation within the syndicate, identifying the half-brother as the primary threat and planning to help Zuo Jingwen consolidate her power while steering the organization away from the criminal activities that led to its downfall in his previous life. The story establishes a complex web of relationships centered on Lin Feng’s reincarnated perspective, his desire to protect his family, and his growing entanglement with the powerful underworld figures who will shape his new destiny.