Su Nianqiu was jolted awake by a searing, heart-piercing pain.
Her eyes flew open to find herself lying on the warm earthen kang in her own home, covered by a thick cotton quilt.
The source of that burning pain was none other than the Dragon-patterned Jade Pendant resting on her chest, which had been warmed by her body heat.
At this moment, the pendant was emitting a faint, gentle glow, its heat causing a fluttering panic in her heart.
What was going on?
Instinctively, she reached out to touch it. The moment her fingertips brushed against the scalding pendant, a flash of white light filled her vision. Her consciousness seemed to be pulled from her body, instantly transporting her to a strange and wondrous place.
Birds sang, flowers bloomed, and lush green grass stretched before her. Not far away stood a simple, rustic bamboo hut, and in front of it, a small spring bubbled and gurgled, emitting wisps of white steam.
The spring water was crystal clear, exuding a refreshingly sweet aroma that, just by smelling it, instantly invigorated her spirit.
What… what place was this?
A thought abruptly sprang into her mind—【Spirit Spring Space】.
Holy crap! Crap! Crap!
Golden Finger! Haha, it’s the standard-issue Golden Finger from the transmigration gods!
Su Nianqiu was so excited she nearly jumped up! With this thing, forget the 1970s—she could thrive even in primitive society!
Eagerly, she walked over to the spring. On a stone tablet beside it were carved two ancient seal characters—“Spirit Spring.”
She could feel an irresistible attraction to this spring water.
Having just choked on river water and suffered a fright, she was now parched and utterly exhausted.
Without hesitation, Su Nianqiu immediately cupped her hands, scooped up some spring water, and brought it to her lips.
The water tasted sweet and cool, as if carrying a strange vitality. It slid down her throat into her stomach, instantly transforming into a warm current that surged through her limbs and entire body.
Her previously weak and frail body, worn down by the river plunge and her pregnancy, felt as if it had been infused with boundless energy. The fatigue vanished completely, and even the nauseating, churning sensation in her stomach disappeared without a trace.
Her body… felt so good!
This Spirit Spring Water was truly a treasure!
With a thought, Su Nianqiu’s consciousness instantly returned to her body. She opened her eyes, still lying on the kang, as if everything that had just happened was merely a dream.
But she could clearly feel the changes in her body—that deep, inner comfort and lightness were undeniably real!
She looked down. The Dragon-patterned Jade Pendant on her chest had returned to its normal temperature, resting warmly against her skin.
She tried silently thinking “enter.” The next second, the familiar scene reappeared.
Thinking “exit” again, she was back in her room.
It was real! Everything was real!
Overwhelmed with joy, Su Nianqiu realized that with this portable Spatial Dimension and Spirit Spring, she now had the confidence to nurture her pregnancy, support her family, and even build a future career!
Just then, the door creaked open.
Li Xiulan walked in carrying a steaming bowl of brown sugar ginger water. Seeing her daughter awake, she was both surprised and relieved. “Qiu’er, you’re awake! How do you feel? Quick, drink this ginger water to ward off the chill.”
“Mom, I’m fine,” Su Nianqiu said, sitting up and taking the bowl, warmth flooding her heart.
“Fine? You have no idea—your face was as pale as paper earlier, you nearly scared your father and me to death!” Li Xiulan’s eyes reddened as she spoke.
“Auntie, is the production team leader home?”
Outside the courtyard gate, a sharp female voice suddenly rang out, followed by an uninvited middle-aged woman with shifty eyes pushing the door open and walking in, trailed by her husband.
It was Su Nianqiu’s second aunt, Wang Chunhua, the village’s notorious gossip and penny-pincher.
“What are you doing here?” Li Xiulan’s face darkened immediately upon seeing her.
Wang Chunhua gave a fake smile as she glanced at Su Nianqiu on the kang, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Sister-in-law, what kind of talk is that? I heard Nianqiu had an accident, so I came to check on her. Oh, Nianqiu, you silly child, how could you be so desperate?”
“You’re so young, and you got yourself pregnant before even getting married. If this spreads, where will your father hide his face? You’ve shamed our entire Su family!”
Her words pretended concern, but her eyes were filled with gleeful schadenfreude.
Li Xiulan trembled with anger. “Wang Chunhua! My daughter doesn’t need your lectures! If you’re here to gloat, get out of my house right now!”
“Hey, sister-in-law, I’m only doing this for Nianqiu’s own good!”
Wang Chunhua wasn’t intimidated at all. Instead, she leaned in closer. “In my opinion, this matter can’t be delayed any longer. While not too many people know yet, we should quickly find someone to marry Nianqiu off! That cripple Wang Mazi from the east end of the village asked me to be a matchmaker just the other day. Sure, he’s a bit lame and a bit old, but he doesn’t mind that Nianqiu’s already carrying a child, and he’s even willing to pay fifty yuan in bride price! This is a deal you couldn’t find even with a lantern!”
Fifty yuan to sell her Su Nianqiu off to an old cripple? What a scheme!
“Get out!” Li Xiulan was completely enraged. She grabbed the broom by the door, ready to strike.
“Mom, don’t be angry.” Su Nianqiu stopped her.
She had taken a sip of Spirit Spring Water and was now feeling refreshed, her mind exceptionally clear. Dealing with such a vile person required more than just brute force.
She pushed aside the quilt and got out of bed, looking coldly at Wang Chunhua. “Second Aunt, I appreciate your kindness. However, my own affairs are none of your concern. This child in my belly is the Su family’s golden grandson. My parents treasure it dearly, and we certainly won’t let it call some old cripple ‘Dad’ the moment it’s born.”
“You!” Wang Chunhua was left speechless. “You ungrateful brat! Do you think you’re still the untouched maiden you used to be? Now you’re just a broken… mmmph!”
Before she could finish, Su Nianqiu had already picked up the bowl of steaming hot ginger and brown sugar water from the table, making as if to splash it in her face!
Wang Chunhua shrieked in fright, stumbling backward until she landed on her rear with a thud.
“You… you dare splash me?”
Su Nianqiu chuckled lightly, placing the bowl back on the table without spilling a single drop. “What wouldn’t I dare? Second Aunt, today I even dared to jump into the river. Do you think I’d hesitate to wash your face—and that foul mouth of yours—with a bowl of ginger water?”
Her gaze at that moment was icy and fierce, completely devoid of her usual delicate fragility. It sent shivers down Wang Chunhua’s spine.
This Su Nianqiu… after jumping into the river, how did she seem like a completely different person?
Just then, an irresistibly rich and mouthwatering aroma of meat wafted over from the kitchen.
Su Jianguo called out from inside, “Xiulan, bring Qiu’er over to eat as soon as she’s awake! I just stewed a chicken to nourish her!”
Stewed chicken?!
Wang Chunhua and her husband’s eyes widened in disbelief!
In these times, chicken meat was a rare delicacy only enjoyed during festivals and holidays! Yet Su Jianguo had already slaughtered a chicken for this disgraceful daughter of his?
How unfair!
Wang Chunhua unwillingly picked herself up from the ground, wanting to say more, but she saw Su Nianqiu already supporting Li Xiulan, not even bothering to glance her way as they headed straight for the kitchen.
Wang Chunhua swallowed hard, her heart filled with bitterness and envy, so tempted she was nearly in tears, yet the tantalizing aroma persistently invaded her nostrils.
She angrily dragged her husband away, grumbling indignantly, “This is utterly unjust! After causing such a scandal, she still gets to enjoy chicken soup! I bet the Su family will be ruined sooner or later by that little vixen!”
Hearing her curses fade into the distance, Su Nianqiu merely smiled faintly.
Was this all?
Once she used the Spatial Dimension to build a prosperous life, ensuring her whole family could feast on white rice and fatty pork, wouldn’t these insufferable relatives be green with envy?
Sipping the delicious chicken soup, Su Nianqiu felt her body gradually recovering. The Spirit Spring Water was quietly transforming her physique—her skin becoming smoother and more radiant, even her hair turning glossy and jet-black.
After the meal, she entered her room and gazed at the face in the mirror, both familiar and strange. It belonged to the original host, already delicate and lovely, but now, nourished by the Spirit Spring, it faintly revealed the vibrant, confident charm she had possessed in her previous life as a top-tier designer.
This face was almost too beautiful.
Suddenly, a thought struck her like lightning.
Wait… the original plot of the book!
She was a transmigrator into a novel! And the original owner of this body wasn’t the female lead at all—she was merely a tragic cannon fodder supporting character in the original story!
She remembered the plot of this period novel: the man who had spent that reckless night with the original host, special forces officer He Lin, returned after completing a top-secret mission only to find he couldn’t meet her. All he received was the cold, harsh truth—the original host, unable to bear the village gossip after becoming pregnant out of wedlock, had drowned herself in the river.
In the original novel’s setting, this tragic past was nothing more than a painful growth experience for the male lead, He Lin. The original host, at the cost of two lives, became a lingering guilt and regret deep in his heart.
The sole purpose of this regret was to allow this legendary “Cold-Faced King of Hell,” upon later meeting the true “original female lead,” to shed his icy exterior, learn how to love, and thus cherish the person before him even more.
The original host was merely a stepping stone to advance the romance between the male and female leads!
But now…
Su Nianqiu looked at her vibrant, lively reflection in the mirror, her heart skipping a beat.
She hadn’t died! Not only was she alive, but she also possessed the Spirit Spring Space, and her body was so strong she could wrestle an ox! This damned cannon fodder plot—she had forcefully carved out a path to survival!
So, when He Lin returned after his mission and discovered that the supporting female character, who should have been a corpse, was not only alive but thriving with his child…
The plot had completely derailed!
Su Nianqiu gently touched her belly, a playful smile curling at the corner of her lips. With the male lead’s “regret” gone, the next act of this drama would no longer follow the original script!