By the time Jiang Wanning returned home, the meat was already simmering on the stove.
The aroma drifted out of the courtyard and carried halfway down the ravine with the wind. Before she had even stepped through the gate, she caught the scent, and her stomach gave a loud growl.
Second Uncle was crouched in front of the stove, feeding firewood into the flames. His face was flushed from the heat, and sweat covered his forehead. When he saw Jiang Wanning return, he broke into a wide smile.
“Wanwan, you’re back? You must be hungry. The meat still needs to stew for a while. It’s a thick cut, so it has to be cooked until it’s tender.”
“No rush.”
When grandmother saw Jiang Wanning enter, she beckoned to her.
“Wanwan, come here.”
Jiang Wanning walked over and sat beside her.
“How did things go with the clan leader?” grandmother asked.
“It’s settled.”
Jiang Wanning told them everything that had happened in front of the ancestral hall. When she mentioned the thunder, grandmother’s hand paused.
“There was thunder?” She looked up. “Wasn’t it bright and sunny today?”
“It was. Then a cloud suddenly appeared, there was a clap of thunder, and after that, it dispersed.”
Jiang Wanning continued, “It happened just as the Old Clan Leader asked everyone to swear an oath. The timing was almost as if it had been planned.”
Grandmother fell silent for a moment before slowly nodding.
“Wanwan, you returned this time carrying the mandate of heaven.”
Jiang Wanning did not respond.
When lunch was served, everyone was stunned.
There was a large basin filled with stewed meat, the lean and fatty portions mingled together, while droplets of oil shimmered across the surface of the broth.
There was also a whole basin of white rice, each grain distinct and piled high.
Beside it was a basin of potatoes stewed with wild vegetables. The potatoes had been cooked until soft and tender, while the vegetables had soaked up the rich meat broth, making the aroma irresistible.
Second Uncle’s hands trembled as he carried the dishes to the table. He was simply too excited. In more than forty years of life, he had never seen a meal like this. He had not even dreamed of one. Back when he lived with his birth family, he had been an unfavored son, and even getting enough to eat had been a problem.
“Eat, everyone,” Second Aunt called out. “Wanwan brought back the meat and rice, so eat as much as you want.”
The meal was eaten in silence. It was simply too delicious, and no one wanted to waste time talking.
Jiang Baizhou ate three bowls of rice, and when he finally set down his bowl, his eyes were slightly red. Jiang Wanxing ate no less than he did, though her manners were much more refined. She chewed each bite slowly, as if savoring something precious.
Grandmother ate the least, but she drank an extra bowl of soup. When she finished, she let out a long breath.
“It’s been many years since I’ve eaten this much.”
Jiang Wanning set down her bowl and glanced at the sky. The sun was still high, and several hours remained before nightfall.
“Second Aunt, Second Uncle, Brother, Sister,” she said, looking at each of them in turn. “I have something to tell you.”
Everyone immediately stopped eating.
“The immortal asked me to help manage a realm of heaven and earth. It’s like a small world where I can take things out and store things inside.”
Jiang Wanning continued, “There are food supplies, medicine, seeds, tools, and a large stretch of land inside.”
Second Uncle blinked, clearly not fully understanding.
“It’s like a huge house, even bigger than our village,” Jiang Wanning explained differently. “Everything is stored inside. I can enter it, and I can bring other people in as well.”
Jiang Baizhou was the first to react.
“You want to take us inside?”
“That’s right.” Jiang Wanning nodded. “I want you all to go in and take a look so you can familiarize yourselves with the place. Once the crops are harvested, they’ll all need to be stored inside. I can’t manage everything alone, so I’ll need your help.”
Grandmother frowned slightly.
“Can we go in too?”
“I’ll try,” Jiang Wanning said. “I think it should be possible.”
She stood and extended her hands toward Second Aunt and Second Uncle.
“Come on. Second Aunt and Second Uncle, hold my hands. Brother and Sister, hold their hands. Grandmother, hold Sister’s hand.”
They looked at one another, but no one hesitated.
Soon, they formed a chain, like children playing a game together.
“Don’t let go,” Jiang Wanning said.
With a thought, everything before their eyes blurred.
It felt as though a gust of wind had swept across their vision, or as if someone had given them all a sudden push. When their sight cleared, they were no longer inside the dilapidated thatched cottage.
Second Aunt was the first to cry out.
“Where are we?!”
They stood inside an enormous space. Beneath their feet was a perfectly smooth gray floor, while above them stretched a vast expanse of white light. There was no sun, yet every corner was brightly illuminated.
All around them stood shelves so tall that their tops were impossible to see. Bags of grain were stacked upon them, along with piles of boxes and rows upon rows of supplies that Jiang Wanning herself had not yet had time to inventory.
There were even glass structures unlike anything they had ever seen.
Second Uncle’s mouth hung open, and he could not close it.
Jiang Baizhou stood where he was and slowly turned in a circle. His expression remained calm, but the hand gripping Jiang Wanning’s had tightened until his knuckles turned white.
Grandmother was the last to recover. She released Jiang Wanxing’s hand and stepped forward.
The gray floor beneath her feet was hard and made no sound when stepped on. She reached out and touched one of the metal shelves beside her. It was cold and smooth, with a texture she had never encountered before.
“Wanwan,” grandmother said in a daze, “is this the place of the immortals?”
“Yes,” Jiang Wanning replied. “This is only the warehouse. There are fields over there as well. I’ll take you to see them.”
She led her family through row after row of shelves until they reached the farming area deep within the space.
This place was completely different from the outside world.
A vast stretch of dark soil spread before them, soft beneath their feet, almost like stepping on cotton. The land had already been plowed, with straight furrows running neatly across the fields.
Various farming tools were piled nearby, including iron shovels, hoes, and sickles. They were unlike any tools Second Uncle had seen before, yet they looked light, sturdy, and sharp enough for their edges to reflect a person’s image.
A water channel flowed beside the fields, and the water was so clear that the bottom could be seen.
Second Uncle crouched down, grabbed a handful of the dark soil, and clenched it in his palm before slowly loosening his fingers and watching the earth slip through them.
“This land is truly good,” he said hoarsely. “Even the best land in our village isn’t half as good as this.”
Standing on the ridge between the fields, Jiang Wanning pointed around them.
“The land over here can be used to grow grain, and that side can be used for vegetables. The livestock over there will need to be fed as well.”
She turned to look at her family.
“I can’t handle all of this alone. Plowing, sowing, watering, harvesting, there’s simply too much work to do inside the space. Once the work is completed, the immortal will randomly bestow rewards.”
“I’ll do it.”
Jiang Baizhou was the first to speak. Only two words, but his voice was firm.
Second Uncle stood and brushed the soil from his knees.
“I’ll do it too. It would be a waste not to cultivate such good land.”
Second Aunt and Jiang Wanxing nodded as well.
Grandmother said nothing, but she had already rolled up her sleeves.
Jiang Wanning looked around at them, and warmth rose in her heart.
Everyone quickly got to work with great enthusiasm.
Just as Jiang Wanning was considering having everyone rest directly inside the space, Jiang Wanxing suddenly let out a sharp cry.
Jiang Wanning spun around and saw Jiang Wanxing stagger backward by two steps as though something had shoved her.
Then she vanished.
“Sister!”
Jiang Baizhou lunged forward, but grabbed nothing but air.
Then, one after another, everyone else disappeared as well.
Jiang Wanning froze for a moment before using her consciousness to sense them.
Everyone was outside.
She immediately followed them out.
The thatched cottage was in complete chaos.
Jiang Wanxing was crouched on the floor, her face pale as she gasped for breath.
Second Aunt sat on the threshold, one hand pressed against her chest while the other clutched the doorframe tightly. Only grandmother remained seated steadily beside the crooked-legged table.
The moment Jiang Wanning appeared, everyone surrounded her.
“Wanwan, what happened just now?”
“Why were we suddenly thrown out?”
“Did the immortals not allow us to stay inside?”
Jiang Wanning thought for a moment before understanding.
“I know what happened. The space only allows you to stay inside for a maximum of five shichen. Once the time is up, you’ll automatically be sent out.”
Jiang Wanxing looked up.
“Five shichen?”
“Yes.”
Jiang Wanning quickly calculated it in her mind. Five shichen meant ten hours. Outside, only one hour had passed.
She herself could remain inside the space for as long as she wanted, but her family could not. The space recognized her as its master. To them, it was someone else’s territory, and once they stayed too long, they would be forced out.
“So, whenever you go inside to work in the future, you can stay for no more than five shichen. Once you’re sent out, you’ll have to wait until you can enter again.”
Jiang Baizhou frowned. “What if we’re in the middle of working when the time runs out?”
“You’ll be sent out, but the things inside won’t disappear,” Jiang Wanning replied. “At least, that’s how it seems for now. I’ll test it again later.”
Second Aunt pushed herself up from the threshold. Her legs were still a little weak, and she leaned against the wall for a moment.
“Five shichen is still plenty of time. We can get a lot done in that time.”
Jiang Wanning glanced at the sky. The sun had already begun to sink westward, and a little over an hour remained before nightfall.
“Second Aunt, let’s head to the fields and harvest the crops first.”