“Xiao Zheng, 1,500 is too much. Big Sister can’t afford it.” Under his stern gaze, Yuan Limei conceded weakness.
Yuan Zheng said calmly, “How much are you short? I’ll lend it to you first, and you can pay me back within a year.”
Yuan Limei: …
Was her little brother deliberately opposing her? She really had raised an ungrateful wolf cub.
“I… I need to discuss this with your brother-in-law before deciding.”
Yuan Zheng nodded. “Alright. I’ve told Xiao Xuan he has three days to resolve this matter, or I’ll support Xiao Zhu in filing for divorce.”
“I’m afraid by then, the Gu family will become quite famous.”
Yuan Limei’s face turned pale. Too ashamed to stay any longer, she stood up and walked out. “I understand.”
Liang Yourou watched Yuan Limei’s retreating figure, cursing inwardly: So useless!
She looked up and glanced behind her. Nan Zhu was slowly walking back while holding her own IV drip, with Gu Shaoxuan following closely beside her, his gaze fixed on Nan Zhu.
This tender scene ignited a fire of frustration in Liang Yourou’s heart. Her voice came out soft and pitiful: “Brother Shaoxuan.”
Though she was calling Gu Shaoxuan, her eyes kept darting toward Nan Zhu, particularly her neck, searching for any sign of a red cord or similar item.
Unfortunately, the clothing at this time featured high collars, even hospital gowns, so she couldn’t see anything.
Seeing her like this, Gu Shaoxuan quickly approached her, his tone full of concern. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Liang Yourou leaned against him, speaking coquettishly, “My… my stomach doesn’t feel good.”
As she spoke, she cast a challenging look toward Nan Jin.
Nan Jin merely glanced at them expressionlessly before walking past the two and returning to the hospital room.
“Uncle, thank you for bringing me food.” She sat back on the bed, reattached her IV, and carefully picked up the lunchbox to drink the soup.
Yuan Zheng lowered his voice. “I made my sister compensate you 1,500.”
“What?” Nan Jin thought she had misheard, staring at him in astonishment.
He was Yuan Limei’s biological younger brother. Would he help her scheme against his own elder sister?
Yuan Zheng just glanced at her without saying another word.
Nan Jin didn’t dwell on it and continued eating.
She had thought she would cross over only to starve to death in frustration.
After finishing her meal unhurriedly, her IV drip was also completed.
From beginning to end, Gu Shaoxuan never came back in. Her heart ached inexplicably.
That wasn’t her emotion—it was a remnant of the original host’s feelings.
That foolish girl probably still held some hope for that scumbag, didn’t she?
“Uncle, thank you for taking care of me. I’m feeling much better now. You can go attend to your own matters.”
She was already grateful that he could stand up for her.
The remaining path still needed to be walked by herself.
“Leave in three days. When the time comes, come south with me.”
“Thank you!” Nan Jin was genuinely grateful to him. If not for him, she might have truly been forced to leave the marriage with nothing.
Yuan Zheng took the lunchbox and left. Before going, he called a nurse to help remove her IV needle.
It was best that no one bothered her. She soon fell into a deep sleep again.
In her dream, she seemed to return to her large shopping mall.
The first and second floors were filled with investors she had painstakingly attracted, already fully stocked with goods.
Gold, silver, jewelry, clothing, bags, food and beverage, and even a branded mountain bike shop.
The third and fourth floors were her own department store, stocked with everything from fresh produce to clothing, study supplies, toys, and more—everything one could need.
The entire mall combined dining, entertainment, and shopping—a project she had spent several years completing.
The penthouse above was her own luxurious home, where she had spent over a million just on renovations. Before she could even move in, she had inexplicably crossed over to another world. The thought alone infuriated her.
As she wandered from the first floor to the fifth, she stumbled upon a pile of oddly familiar trash.
Why did it seem familiar? Because that shabby, outdated kettle shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
And the shattered glass on the floor, along with the traces of spilled water, left her utterly baffled.
Hadn’t she stored all these things in her space?
Space?
Nan Jing jolted awake from her dream, staring blankly at the mottled ceiling.
Was the shopping mall she had built in her previous life now her space?
Had all the goods from the mall crossed over with her?
She glanced around. The sky had grown dim—it seemed she had slept until dusk.
A thin quilt covered her, likely placed there by a nurse during rounds.
Feeling hungry, she propped herself up on the bed and thought of the fast food from the mall.
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than a steaming container of braised beef brisket with radish rice appeared in her hands.
Still lost in thought, she heard faint footsteps approaching from the corridor outside.
Quickly, she stashed the meal back into her space and lay down, closing her eyes.
Soon, a figure in a nurse’s uniform, wearing a mask, tiptoed into the room.
Standing by the bed, the woman calmly reached toward Nan Jing’s neck but found nothing.
She glanced around, then moved to the bedside table, crouching to open the cabinet door. Inside were the original owner’s discarded clothes.
She took them out, feeling through the fabric and shaking them, but still found nothing.
“Could it not be here?” she muttered to herself, hastily putting everything back.
Nan Jing shut her eyes tightly, wondering who this woman was.
Judging by her actions, she seemed to be searching for something.
She had first reached for her neck—was she looking for a pendant or something similar?
But the original owner didn’t have any pendant…
Wait, the original owner did have half of a jade pendant. Where had she hidden it?
Was this woman after that half-piece of jade?
The original owner had worn it since she was very young—could it hold some significance?
Though her mind raced, Nan Jing maintained a calm facade, continuing to feign sleep.
Frustrated, the woman searched the bed again, even checking under the pillow, but found nothing.
She stood by the bed, her gloomy eyes seeming to drip with resentment.
When footsteps echoed from outside again, she hurriedly turned and left.
Nan Jing watched her retreating figure, feeling a sense of familiarity but unable to place who she was.
This time, it was likely a real nurse who entered. She felt Nan Jing’s forehead, placed a thermometer under her arm, and then moved on to the next room.
Only then did Nan Jing slowly open her eyes, staring thoughtfully at the searched cabinet.
The business she had worked half her life to build in her previous life had crossed over with her, boosting her confidence and reinforcing her resolve to lie low in the countryside and live a carefree life.
However, while she had supplies, she lacked money for this era. So, the thousand yuan from the divorce settlement was something she absolutely had to take.
As for Yuan Zheng’s offer of fifteen hundred, she paid it no mind.
Given Yuan Li Mei’s temperament, having to part with a thousand yuan would surely fill her with bitter hatred.
But none of that mattered. Once she got the money, she would leave this place, disappear far away, reclaim her name from her previous life, and live lavishly and freely from then on.
Meanwhile, the Gu household was in utter chaos. After returning home and hearing about Nanzhu’s situation, Mr. Gu took a leather belt and struck Gu Shaoxuan several times.
“You unfilial son!” Mr. Gu’s face turned purple with rage, his eyes bulging, his entire demeanor cold and imposing.
Yuan Limei shielded her son, weeping as she scolded her husband, “If you have the nerve, just beat me to death along with him!”
Furious, Mr. Gu retorted, “Indulgent mothers ruin their sons! Sooner or later, you’ll be the death of them.”