September, Aethelburg.

  In the "Poison" café in the city center, Grace Dorothy sat in a corner by the window, her chin resting on her hand, staring blankly at the sky outside.

  The sunlight was perfect, and she felt as if she had returned to her younger self, before she became a tough career woman.

  Just half an hour earlier, at 65, she had gloriously retired after completing her final shift. She had only taken a short nap on the bus home, and when she opened her eyes again, she was back to her 20s.

  In her prime, with a curvaceous figure.

  Tight skin, self-assured.

  Her features were striking; she didn't wear glasses.

  She had a boyfriend.

  Everything was so unbelievable, yet she accepted it quickly and calmly.

  As a researcher who had explored the space field for many years and achieved considerable academic success, quickly accepting the unknown was her talent.

  When she woke up, she was also on the bus. Those distant yet vivid memories resurfaced. She remembered that day, Eric's mother had asked her to meet at the café.

  Eric Dylan was her boyfriend. The next second, the clear glass reflected the elegant figure of the wealthy woman. Grace sat up straight and looked at her, watching her gracefully sit down.

  Before Grace could speak, the woman slightly raised her head, took a check from her orange Hermès Kelly bag with a pebbled pattern, and lightly slapped it in front of Grace.

  “Here's ten dollars. Get away from my son!”

  How much?

  Grace was stunned, thinking, “This line doesn't make sense!”

  Wasn't it 100,000 last time?

  How did it become ten dollars?

  Does ten dollars require writing a check?

  "I know what girls your age are thinking—thinking about climbing the social ladder, taking shortcuts. But you need to understand, you and my son are from two different worlds. Different social classes can't be forced together."

  As she spoke, Mrs. Dylan stared at Grace's pretty face for a few seconds, letting out a disdainful snort: "She is indeed quite pretty, but she can only fool a simple-minded boy like my son. She can't fool me."

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  Grace finally recovered from the shock of "ten dollars," only catching half of Mrs. Dylan 's words.

  Who's simple-minded?

  Your son is simple-minded?

  Eris is simple-minded?

  Grace couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. Seeing this, Mrs. Dylan frowned slightly behind her sunglasses, displeased, and said, "What are you laughing at?"

  "Nothing, just thinking about something funny."

  And that funny version of myself from the past.

  She had once thought Eric was simple-minded. What bad intentions could a pampered young man raised in a wealthy family possibly have?

  Until his plagiarism of her academic paper, two years in the making, she realized how terribly she had been fooled by her superficial attraction to good looks!

  His paper brought him instant fame, securing him a position at one of the most prestigious research institutions in the country.

  Her appeals and cries for help were completely ignored by the immense wealth of the Dylan Investment Group.

  Later, through hard work, she finally became Eric's colleague and direct subordinate.

  Those with a guilty conscience are prone to paranoia. In Eric 's eyes, she was like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment.

  Thus, during their time working together, Eric abused his position to make things difficult for her in every way, ultimately using the dirty trick of the Dylan Group's investment arm, to kick her out of the team.

  That year, she was twenty-nine years old, laid off and unemployed.

  But true gold fears no fire; gold will shine.

  She didn't give up. Using her years of research experience and achievements at the institution, she wrote another paper that shook the industry, and shortly after publication, she joined the National Space Exploration Research Department.

  She worked diligently throughout her life, never marrying, dedicating herself to space exploration until her honorable retirement at the age of 65!

  "Auntie, I think you're right. He and I aren't the same kind of people."

  Grace slowly pushed the ten dollar check back to the other woman: "Ten Dollars isn't necessary. Although I'm not rich, I'm not short of ten Dollars."

  Grace 's reaction surprised Eric's mother. She pulled her sunglasses up to her nose and stared at Grace.

  Shouldn't she have refused with tears in her eyes, declaring that she and Eric were true love and that no one could separate them?

  Last time, Grace had indeed done just that.

  "Not Enough? I know your situation. Ten Dollars isn't a small amount for a family like yours. Are you just trying to appease me? Don't play games with me!" Mrs. Dylan put her sunglasses back on, her tone slightly cold.

  Grace smiled gently: "Auntie, you're overthinking it. I'll break up with Eric, I promise you!"

  "I won't agree!"

  A suppressed, angry shout suddenly rang out from the side, startling Mrs. Dylan. Grace, however, remained unmoved, a slight smile playing on her lips.

  It was the same scene as last time. Last time, Eric suddenly appeared, and the two resolutely declared they would be together no matter what. They reasoned with his mother, and in the end, she felt sorry for her son and reluctantly agreed to continue their relationship.

  Eric strode over to Grace 's seat, put his arm around her shoulder, and said firmly, "Mom, I won't break up with Grace!"

  "Eric! Would I harm you? I'm doing this for your own good!" Mrs.Dylan said, both anxious and angry.

  She had almost succeeded, but her son's sudden appearance might make the girl change her mind!

  However, Grace expressionlessly removed Eric's hand from her shoulder, then stood up under his questioning gaze, looking at him and saying, "Eric, I've had enough. Let's end this here."

  "Wh...what do you mean?" Eric asked blankly, "What do you mean by 'had enough'?"

  Grace smiled, "Literally. You...I've had enough."

  Eric's expression changed from confusion to shock, and finally to anger.

  "Grace, this isn't the time to act impulsively, nor is it the time to joke!" Eric said in a low voice.

  Grace looked at his face. She had to admit, seeing this face again, he was still handsome enough, whether it was his slightly furrowed brows when he was confused, his wide eyes when he was shocked, or his flushed face when he was angry.

  They were all handsome.

  But as she looked, a wave of nausea washed over her.

  Grace looked away at Eric's mother: "Auntie, I have a strange habit; I only like to have secret relationships with rich second-generation men. Now that you've found out, I don't think it's very interesting anymore."

  "Oh, by the way, Eric and I haven't slept together. We booked a hotel once, but he couldn't get an erection. I don't know if it's from nervousness or something else. I suggest you take him to the hospital to get checked out when you have time; after all, he's still young."

  "Coffee's on me."

  With that, Grace turned and walked towards the cashier, leaving Eric and his mother, their faces ashen, frozen in their seats.

  "Hello, table 5, checkout."

  "Madam, that's 7.5 rins in total. I'll scan your QR code."

  Grace narrowed her eyes in confusion, thinking that perhaps she hadn't fully heard what the other person said. Was it 7.5 dollars?

  "Payment successful, 7.5 rins!"

  The cashier's voice announced. Grace subconsciously glanced at the payment page: "Payment successful, 0.0075 dollars?"

  7.5 Rins?

  The "Rin" in dollar, under Cent?

  Grace's eyes widened, even more shocked than if she had accepted that she had been given a second chance at life.

  Such a niche currency unit!