The Great Zhou Kingdom.
Luzhou Prefecture.
Jinniu County.
Dahe Village.
As its name suggests, Dahe Village is split in two by a wide river that winds through it like a silver dragon. The river flows endlessly, its roaring currents bringing a sense of life and movement to this otherwise quiet village.
At this moment, on the mountain path behind the village, a thin young girl was running as fast as the wind.
Three dogs followed closely behind her—one in front and two behind—forming a rather unusual sight.
Gu Shiyi had only one thought in her mind: run, keep running, never stop… As long as she didn’t stop, she could be reborn.
Her heart pounded wildly from the intense exertion. The force of it felt as though it might burst out of her chest.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Each heartbeat was like a heavy hammer striking her eardrums, deafening in its intensity.
Her legs moved as if enchanted, stepping forward rapidly one after another, each step using all the strength she had.
Her breathing became labored, her throat burning as if a fire were raging inside, leaving her dry and aching.
Yet she didn’t dare to slow down even for a moment. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to keep running with everything she had.
Finally, after passing through a dense forest, the view suddenly opened up.
She saw the entrance to the sinkhole where her father had once lived while hunting—a natural cave hidden among the mountain cliffs, its entrance covered by thick vegetation. Without careful observation, it would be nearly impossible to find.
Although well concealed, Gu Shiyi had been here several times before and was already very familiar with the terrain.
So she spotted the hidden cave entrance in the grass at a glance.
Sweat poured down like a spring, soaking her long hair and making her look completely drenched.
Her mouth hung open as she greedily gulped in air, panting heavily.
She raised her sleeve to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
Hope was right in front of her. After a brief pause to catch her breath, Gu Shiyi rushed toward the cave again.
Her steps were unsteady, clearly showing that her strength had been pushed to its limit. Yet her eyes remained firm and resolute.
Just as she was about to reach the cave entrance, something unexpected happened.
“Ah—!”
With a cry, Gu Shiyi suddenly lost her balance. Like a puppet with its strings cut, she tumbled down the slope.
Her head struck a large rock with a heavy thud. Everything went black, and she fainted.
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
A burst of barking echoed.
The three dogs—Ah Hui, Ah Hua, and Xiao Hua—rushed toward her as soon as they saw her roll down the slope.
Ah Hui and Ah Hua were a loving pair, and Xiao Hua was their pup.
Xiao Hua had inherited her mother’s black-and-white fur pattern.
The pair had originally had three puppies, but two had been given away to neighbors.
Seeing Gu Shiyi lying motionless on the ground, the three dogs became anxious, barking nonstop.
Gu Shiyi slowly opened her eyes, her head throbbing with pain, her vision still blurry.
She blinked hard a few times before finally seeing clearly.
A large gray dog, a large spotted dog, and a small spotted dog were sitting beside her, staring at her with round eyes, letting out soft whimpering sounds as if they were crying.
Her mind was completely blank. What had just happened?
She remembered that she had been measuring temperature in the experimental fields at her university farm. When she stood up, she felt dizzy—and then suddenly lost consciousness.
But now, how was she in this deep mountain forest, surrounded by dense trees and rugged paths? It left her confused—and a little afraid.
“Ah… my head hurts so much!”
She reached back to touch the back of her head, only to feel a sharp pain. She clenched her teeth and gasped.
There was a large bump—she must have hit something hard.
Did she strike her head when she fainted?
At the same time, it felt like two completely different sets of memories were clashing in her mind, throwing her thoughts into chaos.
Could it be…
Had she transmigrated?
Gu Shiyi’s eyes widened in disbelief, filled with shock and resistance.
This kind of thing only happened in novels—yet it had actually happened to her. The chances were even lower than winning a huge lottery jackpot!
And yet, it had happened.
In her previous life, Gu Shiyi had been a devoted fan of transmigration and farming novels. Sometimes, she even imagined traveling back to ancient times to experience a rural life herself.
She never expected that fantasy to come true. It had all happened so suddenly, leaving her completely unprepared.
After sorting through her thoughts, she finally understood why she was here in the mountains.
Her luck… wasn’t very good.
She had transmigrated into an orphaned girl who was fleeing an arranged marriage.
“Ah Hui, Ah Hua, Xiao Hua… I didn’t expect you to still be with her.”
After calming herself down, Gu Shiyi looked at the three dogs beside her, a bitter feeling rising in her heart.
She hadn’t expected that her only companions now would be these dogs.
She picked up Xiao Hua and gently patted Ah Hui and Ah Hua. “From now on, it’s just the four of us relying on each other.”
Ah Hua seemed to sense her emotions. She immediately stuck out her tongue and gently licked Gu Shiyi’s hand, trying to comfort her.
The gesture warmed Gu Shiyi’s heart.
…Wait, why does Ah Hua seem a bit overly motherly?
She smiled faintly and stroked Ah Hua’s head, feeling the softness of her fur.
At her touch, Ah Hua seemed completely invigorated, her maternal instincts overflowing as she showered Gu Shiyi with affection.
Well… not a wave of love—more like a wave of drool.
Ah Hua kept licking her hand, leaving it covered in saliva.
She was trying to comfort her in her own way, as if to say: Don’t be afraid. I’m here, and so is my mate. Everything will be okay.
Ah Hui crouched nearby, silently watching her.
Xiao Hua lay obediently in her arms.
“Ah Hui, Ah Hua, Xiao Hua… let’s go home,” Gu Shiyi said softly.
But just as she stood up and tried to take a step, a sharp pain shot through her ankle.
“Ah—! My foot hurts!”
Only then did she realize that she must have been injured when she tumbled down the slope. Not only was her body covered in scrapes, but her ankle was also sprained.