A loud buzz rang in the young shop assistant's ears, and her mind went completely blank.
This medicine had been unearthed from some forgotten corner during inventory cleaning a few days ago. Why on earth hadn't she checked the expiration date back then?
"Hey! Comrade! Wait a minute!"
In a panic, the young clerk scrambled out from behind the counter, pushed aside the curtain, and rushed into the street.
Yet the road was bustling with people coming and going, filled with pedestrians and bicycles. Where was there any sign of Zhou Xing'er?
Standing at the street corner, the young shop assistant stamped her feet in frustration, her palms drenched in cold sweat.
"What am I supposed to do now? Will an expired contraceptive pill still work? Th-this won't end up causing an unwanted pregnancy, will it?" she muttered to herself, her face turning pale with fright. If that young woman truly ended up pregnant and came looking for her, she would certainly lose her job.
But the girl was already gone, and there was nothing she could do. She could only pray in her heart that the medicine retained at least some of its potency.
……
Bumping along the whole way in an ox cart driven by a fellow villager, Zhou Xing'er finally returned to Zhou Family Village.
Following the small path in her memories, she walked up to a dilapidated mud-brick house at the eastern end of the village.
This was the original host's home.
The courtyard was fenced in with tree branches, where a few chickens clucked and pecked about. The roof was thatched with wheat straw, and patches of the dried mud had flaked off the walls, exposing the straw inside.
Taking a deep breath, Zhou Xing'er pushed open the wooden picket gate and walked inside.
"Xing'er? Is that Xing'er back?"
An anxious woman's voice drifted from inside the house. Soon after, a middle-aged woman with greying hair and patched clothes rushed out in a flurry.
This was the original host's mother, Liu Guihua.
The moment Liu Guihua saw Zhou Xing'er, her eyes instantly turned red. Hurrying forward in a few strides, she grabbed Zhou Xing'er's hand and wiped away her tears in distress.
"You wretched girl, where did you run off to last night? You scared your mother to death! Your elder brothers were out searching for you for half the night until their legs nearly broke!" Even as Liu Guihua scolded her, she looked Zhou Xing'er over thoroughly. Seeing no injuries on her body, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Hearing the commotion, the rest of the household also rushed out from the house.
The original host's father, Old Man Zhou, was an honest, simple farmer. Crouched on the door threshold, he didn't say a word upon seeing Zhou Xing'er return, but the worry in his eyes was impossible to conceal.
Her eldest brother Zhou Dazhu and second brother Zhou Erzhu also came running out. Both grown men were tall and sturdy, with dark skin and faces dripping with sweat.
"Little Sister, you're finally back! Where did you go yesterday? If you hadn't come back soon, we were going to report it to the police in town," Zhou Dazhu asked in a thick, muffled voice, his tone brimming with concern.
Carrying a six-month-old infant in her arms, the eldest sister-in-law, Li Xiulan, followed them out and nodded repeatedly. "Indeed, Little Sister. Mom was so worried last night that she didn't close her eyes for a second, praying before the family altar the entire time."
Looking at this entire family, Zhou Xing'er suddenly felt an ache in her heart.
In the original book, the host had been an extraordinarily vain and selfish person. She despised her poor family, looked down on her parents for being farmers, and scorned her two brothers for being unaccomplished. At home, she wouldn't even sweep the floor, and she constantly cast sarcastic barbs at her sisters-in-law.
Later, after marrying into the Fu family, the original host cut off all contact with her maternal family, terrified that they would bring shame upon her.
Yet even after all her reckless antics, when she eventually divorced Fu Yusheng and was swindled out of all her money by hooligans—left completely destitute—it was this very family that took her back in. They didn't despise her for being a divorcee, nor did they look down on her for her ruined reputation; they scrimped and saved to provide for her.
It was the original host who couldn't bear the village's wagging tongues or endure the hardships of poverty, stealing the family's savings once again to run away, only to meet a tragic death in a foul city gutter.
Every single member of this family was an honest, kindhearted soul.
Zhou Xing'er looked at her little nephew in Li Xiulan's arms. The little fellow was only six months old, chubby and fair, with big, dark eyes rolling about. Seeing Zhou Xing'er, he blew a glistening spit bubble and giggled merrily.
Zhou Xing'er's heart instantly melted into a puddle. This child was simply too adorable.
"Mom, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, I'm sorry for making you worry," Zhou Xing'er apologized sincerely to the family. "I went to town yesterday to see a friend. It got too dark, and there were no carts heading back, so I stayed the night at my classmate's house. I… I forgot to let you know beforehand. I'll never do it again."
Hearing Zhou Xing'er apologize, Old Man Zhou blew out a puff of smoke, tapped his tobacco pipe against the sole of his shoe, and said in a gruff voice, "It's good that you're back. Wherever you go in the future, you must inform the family first. It's not safe for an unmarried girl to be out alone."
"Yes, listen to your father. As long as you're back safe and sound," Liu Guihua said, taking Zhou Xing'er by the hand to lead her into the house. "You must be hungry, right? Mom kept your breakfast warm—rice porridge, and I boiled an egg for you too."
In this era, white rice and eggs were precious luxuries. Ordinarily, the two brothers were reluctant to eat them, saving them entirely for the original host and their pregnant sister-in-law.
Zhou Erzhu broke into a wide grin. "Little Sister, as long as you're all right, that's all that matters. Eldest Brother and I are heading out to the fields now. We have to finish weeding that plot at the eastern edge today. When we get back tonight, I'll pick some sweet melons for you to eat."
"Okay, thank you, Second Brother. Thank you, Eldest Brother," Zhou Xing'er replied with a sweet smile.
Seeing Zhou Xing'er's bright smile, the two brothers were momentary stunned. In the past, their little sister had always kept a stony face around them, reluctant to even utter a word. How was she so gentle today, and even thanking them?
Still, seeing their sister become sensible filled the brothers with joy.
"Let's go, Dazhu, time to get to work!" Zhou Erzhu said, pulling Zhou Dazhu along as they walked out happily.
Holding the child, their eldest sister-in-law stepped into the kitchen and said with a smile, "Little Sister, go wash your face first. I'll ladle out the porridge for you."
Zhou Xing'er watched her sister-in-law's busy figure, then glanced around at this home that, while impoverished, was kept neat and tidy.
Although the family was poor right now, this was the nineties. As long as one had courage and was willing to endure hardship, making money was guaranteed.
In her modern life, Zhou Xing'er had been a university student, after all. While she might not be a business genius, she knew the general trends of future development.
Since she had taken over the original host's body and was blessed with this family's love, she would definitely help them cast off poverty. She would lead her parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, and her adorable nephew toward a prosperous life together.
Walking up to the kitchen doorway, Zhou Xing'er looked at Xiao Tiedan in Li Xiulan's arms.
Xiao Tiedan stretched his chubby little hands toward her, babbling cheerfully.
The little fellow was only six months old, fair-skinned and plump.
Seeing Zhou Xing'er looking at him, his large, dark eyes darted around, and he blew another shiny spit bubble before bursting into giggles.
Zhou Xing'er couldn't resist stepping closer, gently touching Xiao Tiedan's warm little hand with her finger.
Xiao Tiedan had quite a strong grip; he latched onto Zhou Xing'er's finger at once, babbling while his little legs kicked enthusiastically against Li Xiulan's chest, looking thoroughly endearing.
Looking at Xiao Tiedan's chubby little face, Zhou Xing'er felt a wave of warmth spread through her chest.
Gently slipping her finger free from Xiao Tiedan's grasp, she smiled at Li Xiulan and said, "Sister-in-law, Xiao Tiedan is growing so well; anyone would adore him. I'm covered in sweat and grime, so I'll head back to my room first to wash my face and change into clean clothes."
Holding the child, Li Xiulan's eyes crinkled into crescents as she nodded repeatedly. "Go on, go on. You must be exhausted after walking all the way back. There's fresh cool water just hauled from the well in the water vat, and clean towels in the room. Go wash up and get comfortable. Once you're done, come out and eat your porridge—I'll ladle out a thick bowl for you."
"Alright, thank you, Sister-in-law," Zhou Xing'er replied sweetly, turning to head toward her own small room.
The original host's room was quite tiny, containing only a narrow wooden plank bed, an old wooden chest with peeling paint, and a battered wooden desk used for reading and writing. Although sparse, it was kept reasonably clean.
Zhou Xing'er shut the door and slid the wooden bolt securely into place.
Walking over to the edge of the bed, she sat down, only to feel a wave of intense soreness throughout her entire body.
That man, Fu Yusheng, had been far too rough last night; her petite frame could hardly endure it.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "Enter Space."