Lin Xiaojiao had been crying for three days straight.
“Xianghua, go call your sister out to eat.” Mother Lin, Zhang Guilan, set the bowls and chopsticks while muttering, “Crying day in and day out—it’s just a broken engagement. Is it the end of the world?”
Lin Xiaojiao sniffled and wiped the corners of her eyes with a half-worn handkerchief.
She wasn’t crying over the broken engagement; she was crying because she had inexplicably traveled through time.
To the parallel universe of the 1980s.
“Xiaojiao, at least come out and eat a little. There’s no need to be so hard on yourself.” The original owner’s eldest brother, Lin Xianghua, lifted the curtain and came in to persuade his sister.
“I can’t eat…” She really couldn’t. There was no white rice, just rice porridge with steamed buns, and even the pickles tasted bitter.
“If you keep this up, you’ll become an immortal sooner or later.” Lin Xianghua looked at his younger sister, too tired to even scold her, afraid that raising his voice might scare her into fainting.
Lin Xiaojiao shot him a glare.
A pampered young lady like her had traveled to an era where even basic needs weren’t met—wasn’t she allowed to cry for a couple of days?
“Xu Deyou has already returned to the city. Crying won’t change anything. Listen to me—eat when you should eat, drink when you should drink. Later, I’ll ask Dad to help you find someone better.” Lin Xianghua sat down on the small stool, patiently advising his sister.
“Remember to persuade your sister to eat something. I’m off to work.” Zhang Guilan’s loud voice echoed from the fenced yard.
“Okay, Mom. Take care.” Lin Xianghua hurriedly replied.
Lin Xiaojiao wiped her eyes again, resigned to her fate, and prepared to get up and follow her eldest brother out to eat.
Just then, a lively voice rushed in:
“Xiaojiao! Come out quickly! Second Brother brought you something delicious!”
Lin Xiaojiao’s eyes instantly lit up.
The original owner’s second brother secretly ran a small business and occasionally brought back some novelties.
These past two days, she had basically relied on him for treats.
As soon as the words were spoken, he appeared in the back room.
Lin Xiangyang, skinny as a monkey, placed a round tin box on the wooden table in Lin Xiaojiao’s room as if presenting a treasure.
Lin Xiaojiao opened it suspiciously—
Animal crackers!
A luxury in this era…
“Fine, you just keep spoiling her!” Lin Xianghua looked at his sister’s shining eyes and then at his younger brother, who was clearly seeking praise, before getting up and leaving.
“Thank you, Second Brother~” Lin Xiaojiao contentedly picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.
To be honest, it wasn’t particularly delicious—it tasted strongly of saccharin.
But at that moment, Lin Xiaojiao was already very satisfied.
Lin Xiangyang plopped down on the small stool his eldest brother had just vacated. “By the way, Xiaojiao, do you want to go out for a walk? Staying cooped up in the house these past two days will make you sick sooner or later. How about coming with me to the neighboring village later?”
“No.” Lin Xiaojiao refused without a second thought. Without transportation, she wasn’t going anywhere far.
“You, you!” Lin Xiangyang patted his chest. “Don’t worry! When I have money someday, I’ll buy you a four-wheeled vehicle!”
Lin Xiaojiao burst out laughing.
“Okay! I’ll be waiting! Second Brother, you should go do your thing!”
With that, she urged Lin Xiangyang to leave. As a newcomer, she wasn’t yet used to the Lin family’s overwhelming enthusiasm.
Although the original owner’s instincts and memories made her fond of them.
Even though the original owner had been abandoned by a scoundrel, she was undoubtedly the family’s favorite, which explained why she was so pampered.
Lin Xiaojiao looked at her hands, which seemed out of place in this era—clearly unused to hard work.
Even as the granddaughter of a fallen landlord family, things weren’t that bad.
Lin Xiaojiao ate two more biscuits before closing the lid of the tin box.
After tidying up a bit, she decided to go out for a walk.
No more crying—since she was here, she might as well make the best of it.
In the front room, her two brothers, who had been boasting, were stunned when they finally saw their younger sister emerge from her room.
Lin Xiaojiao lived with her parents in the three tiled rooms at the back (the last remnants of their former landlord status), while her two older brothers lived in the adobe house at the front.
“Big Brother, Second Brother, I’m going out for a walk. Don’t worry about me.” With that, she ignored them and stepped out of the fenced yard.
This was the first time she had left the yard since crossing over.
Tsk! The house next door was truly a mansion.
Blue bricks and dark tiles, three courtyards deep.
It stood out starkly among the surrounding adobe houses.
In the original owner’s memory, this was the main residence of the influential Gu family.
The elders of the Gu family had earned military merits by carrying guns in their early years.
Lin Xiaojiao stared blankly at the gate, wondering why she hadn’t crossed over into a family like this.
Lost in thought, the sound of an engine came from the intersection ahead.
A military jeep?!
The village was quiet in the afternoon. With everyone busy with summer planting, the adults were all at work, leaving only a few curious children chasing after the vehicle as it approached.
It was indeed a rare sight.
Lin Xiaojiao momentarily forgot to move.
She simply stared as the car, moving at a steady speed, drove straight toward her.
And then—
It stopped right in front of her.
Caught off guard, she met a pair of dark eyes that were staring directly at her through the windshield.
Not aggressive, just purely observing.
The man wore a uniform shirt with his sleeves rolled up, looking quite refreshing, but his face was rugged, with sharp eyebrows and a defined jawline.
Like… something out of a webcomic.
Lin Xiaojiao was momentarily distracted.
The man in the car seemed to lose patience and rolled down the window.
Only when she saw his movement did she snap back to reality.
Uh… she had been daydreaming and, well, blocking the way.
Lin Xiaojiao was mortified!
She hurriedly turned around, wanting to flee the scene.
But—
Things didn’t go as planned. The village road was already bumpy, and in her haste, she lost her footing and fell flat on her face.
Right in front of that imposing blue-brick mansion.
“Pfft—” The children watching nearby couldn’t help but laugh.
Lin Xiaojiao wished she could disappear on the spot. Let her cross back already!
The car door opened, and the man jumped out nimbly.
A pair of black military boots stopped in front of her.
Shadows loomed over her.
“Little girl, are you okay?”
His voice was deep and pleasant.
It was standard Mandarin!
In this small southern village full of local dialects, Lin Xiaojiao felt as if she had heard the voice of a kindred spirit.
It sounded almost unreal.
Her heart skipped a beat, embarrassingly so.
She scrambled to get up.
“Ouch—” A sharp pain made her gasp.
Her barely raised body slumped back down.
The man clearly noticed something was wrong. He crouched down, maintaining a respectful distance, as if checking on her.
“Where did you hurt yourself?” he asked.
“My ankle…” Forgetting her fascination with the man’s captivating voice, Lin Xiaojiao was already in tears from the pain.
Seeing the girl’s clearly immobile right foot, the man asked, “Where do you live?”
“N-next door.” Lin Xiaojiao instinctively pointed to her small yard.
The man fell silent for a few seconds, as if weighing his options.
The next moment, he reached out, his strong arms sliding under her waist and knees, lifting her into a horizontal carry.
His movements were swift and decisive.
“Ah!” Lin Xiaojiao gasped in surprise.
Instinctively, she tightened her grip on the man’s shirt fabric at his chest.
The man’s steps were steady as he carried her toward the fenced courtyard.
But Lin Xiaojiao was as stiff as if she’d been struck by an acupoint, not daring to move a muscle in his arms.
Good heavens! Is this the legendary princess carry??
So damn nervous…
The scent of the man, fresh and clean with a hint of tobacco, reached her nose.
Lin Xiaojiao’s heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest!
It’s over!
She thought.
Is this the legendary “love at first sight”?