One should keep a low profile, but the foundation of humility is the ability to be high-profile at any time—otherwise, it's just cowardice.

Life should be simple, but the foundation of simplicity is the ability to be extravagant at any time—otherwise, it's just being shabby.

Sometimes you have to play dumb, but the foundation of playing dumb is the ability to strike like a tiger at any time—otherwise, you really are just a pig!

The true scion of a powerful family, William Lawson, lived a mediocre, downtrodden life after his family fell from grace. Fortunately, William Lawson was reborn, returning to more than twenty years ago, to an era of great upheaval. Everything must start anew, everything will change, and everything will be his!

One should keep a low profile—a kind of understated luxury; life should be simple—a kind of simple elegance! If your opponent is a tiger, play the pig and eat him; but what if your opponent is already a pig...

Watch as a scion of a noble family walks the path of officialdom after rebirth!

Chapter 1: Time Rewinds

William Lawson stared fixedly at the plane tree outside the window, his head still spinning with dizziness.

That plane tree, with its bizarrely shaped branches and withered leaves, was etched into his mind as an almost indelible image. William Lawson remembered very clearly: this was the plane tree outside the second-floor window of the staff dormitory at the Capital Military District Headquarters. He had spent several years of his youth here.

Because his father, The Lawson Family, held the position of Director of Operations at the Capital Military District Headquarters during this period—a division-level officer.

But that was more than twenty years ago, at the end of the 1980s. Later, his father was promoted and moved out of this staff dormitory, and William Lawson never returned.

In fact, ever since he had a falling out with his family and went to study at Chunan Province Agricultural University, he rarely came back home.

Those memories were already very distant.

But the plane tree outside the window, and all the furnishings in the room, were exactly the same as they had been more than twenty years ago. And it was clearly not a dream. Just now, he had bitten his own hand—it hurt!

He shouldn't be here.

William Lawson remembered very clearly that not long ago, on a certain day in September 2011, he was still drinking in a rather shabby bar in Danning City, drinking cheap beer—lots of it. But after that, things became blurry. He couldn't hold his liquor well; after six or seven bottles, his head was spinning. William Lawson vaguely remembered bumping into a young girl, dressed flamboyantly, her face painted in all colors—a typical post-90s girl. An argument broke out, the girl slapped him, and emboldened by alcohol, William Lawson slapped her back. Then a few equally flamboyantly dressed boys surrounded him, and fists and beer bottles rained down. William Lawson had been strong in his youth, but time spares no one; a man in his forties, no matter how fit, can't compete with the young.

After the rain of fists and bottles, William Lawson lost consciousness.

And yet now, here he was!

Standing in this old dormitory from more than twenty years ago, staring blankly at a bizarre plane tree.

"Wei Hong, get up, breakfast is ready..."

Just as William Lawson was standing there in a daze, the dormitory door was knocked on with a loud "bang bang," and a woman's voice came from outside—both familiar and unfamiliar.

William Lawson shuddered all over.

It was familiar because it was his mother Megan Lincoln's voice. Unfamiliar because the voice sounded young, even a bit crisp.

But Megan Lincoln was already in her sixties, and due to family misfortunes, she looked even older than her age. How could her voice sound like this?

William Lawson almost lunged to open the door.

This sudden movement startled the middle-aged woman standing outside, who looked at him in surprise.

"Mom..."

For a moment, William Lawson was dumbfounded. This woman was indeed his mother, but she looked more than twenty years younger, dignified and beautiful, with an air of grace.

In her youth, Megan Lincoln had been the prettiest doctor at the General Hospital of the military—otherwise, she wouldn't have married into the Liu family.

The Liu family had once been one of the most illustrious and powerful families in the entire republic. William Lawson's father, The Lawson Family, was also handsome and extraordinary.

But that was all in the past.

William Lawson called out hesitantly, his face full of confusion.

What on earth was going on?

Had time really turned back?

Seeing William Lawson like this, Megan Lincoln was even more surprised than he was. Why was her son so shocked to see his own mother? It wasn't like they hadn't met before.

"Wei Hong, what's wrong? Are you sick?"

As a core physician at 301 Hospital, Megan Lincoln immediately suspected her son was ill when she noticed something was off.

"N-no..."

William Lawson stammered, his head buzzing. Even he didn't know if he was sick or just hallucinating.