The atmosphere in Su Niyue’s group had returned to normal. The family was cooking together, yet Nangong Yunteng’s mind was in turmoil. He knew he had overheard Su Niyue’s secrets—secrets so extraordinary that, if revealed, even someone with her powers could be targeted. Human hearts were treacherous; he understood this all too well.
“Grandmother, Second Uncle’s family…” Yunran’s words were cut off by the matriarch: “Don’t worry about him. His concubine and children are his responsibility. I trust he can take care of them!”
Su Niyue didn’t speak but silently gave the old lady a huge thumbs-up in her heart.
Nangong Yunteng thought: This woman really has no worries at all.
At night, Yunqi stayed behind to care for his elder brother, while Su Niyue took the three generations of women from the Nangong family to the hot springs. Halfway there, she happily pulled out her bottles of shampoo, facial cleanser, and soap from the clothes she carried. Since the bonded warehouse had plenty of supplies, she figured it was better to start them using these items now. Perhaps when they reached Lingnan, they could even sell them in a shop—the repackaged goods would fetch her a tidy profit.
Sanhu led the way, Su Niyue followed, wishing she had a strong flashlight—the torchlight was limited. Luckily, her Earth ability kept her from stumbling too much.
“Su Sister, just ahead is the hot spring pool. Go on in and wash; I’ll guard the entrance for you.”
“Sanhu, thank you!”
“No need for formalities!”
“Alright, alright!” Sanhu took the weak torch from Yunran and left.
Su Niyue stuck the torch into a stone crevice. Perhaps she misjudged the force, and a segment of the torch lodged firmly in the rock. Yunran watched closely: Sister-in-law really is like a fairy—the crevice is so tiny…
“Yunran, stop staring!”
“Oh! Right, coming!”
When Su Niyue gave them the shampoo, they were overjoyed—they had never used anything like this before. The bubbles were rich and fragrant, making washing their hair a delight.
Su Niyue glanced at the torch. Well, darkness had its advantages—at least they couldn’t see the bottles clearly, saving her from having to explain anything.
After they finished washing, Yunqi carried his elder brother into the water. Su Niyue handed Yunqi the shampoo and soap, giving quick instructions, then left.
Yunqi was puzzled. In the army, clean water alone sufficed, yet his sister-in-law was quite particular.
Nangong Yunteng, however, thought differently. Since Su Niyue had carefully explained their use, it meant these were unlike anything they had used before. When he tried the shampoo, he was astonished—his hair didn’t tangle at all.
Nangong Yunteng’s leg was still injured, so he sat by the shore and studied the unusual bottle. Its material was unlike any ceramic he’d seen; the shape was odd and clearly foreign.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. It seemed impossible, yet no other explanation made sense. Nodding slowly, he murmured: Perhaps she really is a fairy who descended to experience human suffering! It was the only plausible explanation for now.
Meanwhile, Su Niyue was blissfully planting in the space. She gazed at the neat vegetable beds: mature corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peanuts. After planting the last row of fruit trees, the white mist gradually dissipated, revealing green meadows at the edges. She had no sense of scale, but the fields were vast—stretching as far as the eye could see.
With a thought, she arrived at the center of the grassland. Beyond the edge, a forest appeared. Su Niyue’s consciousness shifted there, the scent of nature filling her senses—the air damp and earthy, occasional bird calls breaking the silence. The distant mountains, unseen before, rose in overlapping peaks, breathtakingly beautiful.
Su Niyue felt the flowers in her arms pale in comparison. Suddenly, a plump rabbit bounded out of the grass, followed by a line of little ones. So cute… I don’t even want to eat them!
When Yunqi returned carrying Yun Teng, the boy sneaked a glance at Su Niyue lying on the ground, thinking she had fallen asleep. Yet as Yunqi helped him settle, he noticed something unusual—she was unnaturally still, her breathing barely perceptible.
He was lying above her head, with Su Niyue’s head resting near his shoulder. Beside her were Ruan Mingyu, then Yunran, the matriarch, and finally Yunqi himself.
He subtly adjusted his mother’s hair. Ruan Mingyu, sensing his gesture, slowly sat up and discreetly covered Su Niyue with a blanket. Yun Teng signaled her with his eyes, and Ruan Mingyu, also feeling something off, touched Su Niyue’s forehead. Her own temperature was normal.
Feeling someone touching her head, Su Niyue withdrew her consciousness from the space. She opened her eyes—bright, lively, and alert, nothing like someone just waking. She saw Ruan Mingyu staring at her strangely and asked casually: “Mother, what’s wrong?” Her voice was clear and melodious.
Nangong Yunteng was bewildered: Could it be… she was astrally projecting? Goosebumps rose along his arms.
“Nothing, I thought you were sick since you weren’t moving,” Ruan Mingyu said, equally puzzled.
“Oh, I was just thinking.”
Nangong Yunteng’s eyes widened: You think I don’t know what you’re thinking!
“Stop thinking, go to sleep!”
Su Niyue sat up and glanced toward the cave entrance. The rain was heavy, streaming into the lower parts of the cave. Liu Quan was also observing the rain outside.
“Mother, you sleep first. I’ll check the entrance!” Su Niyue said, standing and walking out.
Liu Quan noticed someone leaving and turned to see it was Su Niyue.
“Sir…” Before she could speak, Liu Quan interrupted: “Call me Uncle Liu!”
“Ah, Uncle Liu.”
“This rain… who knows when it will stop!”