For some reason, she suddenly remembered those scenes from the novels she had read in her previous life. A thought stirred in her heart.
She found a sewing needle. After hesitating for a moment, she gently pricked her fingertip.
A bright red bead of blood welled up. Holding her breath, she let it drip onto the pristine white jade bracelet.
The next instant, something miraculous happened—the drop of blood was instantly absorbed by the bracelet and vanished without a trace!
Before she could react, the bracelet transformed into a warm, gentle beam of white light. With a soft whoosh, it shot straight into her palm and disappeared.
Pei Nian only felt a brief warmth in her hand, as though something invisible had lightly burned her skin. A moment later, everything returned to normal. She turned her hand over again and again, but there was nothing there.
Just as disappointment began to creep in, she suddenly became keenly aware of a mysterious space that was intimately connected to her mind.
With a single thought, she found herself inside it in the blink of an eye.
A spring bubbled before her, and the air was unbelievably fresh.
The space wasn’t particularly large. To the left of the spring lay a plot of black soil and a grassy field. To the right stood a small wooden cabin and a white building. Other than the land and the open area in front of the buildings, there was nothing else.
Pei Nian pushed open the cabin door.
The furnishings inside were simple—a table, a chair, and a bed. On the table rested an old sheet of paper. She picked it up and saw the title:
User Manual for the Spiritual Spring Space
Pei Nian was overjoyed.
This wasn’t just a magical space—it was practically the perfect assistant for living a carefree life.
And since it could collect objects, countless ideas about “robbing the rich to help the poor” immediately flashed through her mind.
She hurried to the spring, scooped up a handful of water, and took a sip.
A warm current spread through her entire body, making her squint in comfort. Then she dabbed some of the spring water onto the swelling on the back of her head.
Within moments, the lump disappeared completely, leaving behind not the slightest trace of discomfort.
Even the exhaustion from dealing with her scumbag father and his family vanished. She felt refreshed, energized, and completely rejuvenated. The effects were immediate.
After leaving the space, she felt how light her body had become and confirmed that the injury on the back of her head was completely healed.
She suddenly felt much more confident about the days ahead in the countryside.
Pei Nian then opened the notebook her grandfather had left behind.
His handwriting was bold and vigorous, carrying a familiar warmth.
The first few pages recorded stories about the Pei family’s ancestors, who had once been herbal medicine merchants, along with basic knowledge about medicinal herbs.
When she flipped to the later pages, her heartbeat quickened.
There were only two short lines written there:
Study. Behind the east wall bookshelf. Hidden door mechanism. Secret chamber.
Below that were instructions on how to activate the mechanism.
Finally, her grandfather had written:
“Nian’er, the wealth accumulated by generations of the Pei family is all hidden here. Open it with caution and make good use of it. Zhao Jianguo is not a man of integrity and cannot be trusted. I only hope you live a safe and peaceful life.”
Pei Nian’s nose stung with emotion.
Her grandfather had already thought of everything for her.
She stored the notebook, the document severing family ties, and all of her cash and ration coupons inside the space, ensuring they would be absolutely safe.
Then she began packing.
She had only lived in this “home” for less than three months anyway, and many of her belongings were still unpacked. She simply tossed everything into the space.
Before long, only the bedding remained on the bed.
Sitting on its edge, Pei Nian began seriously considering her next move.
Going to the countryside was unavoidable.
The policy was already in place, and once a person had registered, there was no changing it. Especially at a time when hardly anyone wanted to be sent down, every available quota would be filled without giving anyone a chance to back out.
“Those beasts!”
Pei Nian punched the bed in frustration.
She never should have had to go to the countryside.
She had a job, savings, and now a magical space. If she had been allowed to stay in the city, she could have lived an incredibly comfortable life.
Instead, it had all been ruined by that stupid, vicious family.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
No.
Before leaving for the countryside, she was definitely going to teach that “loving family” a proper lesson.
Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Pei Nian slung an oversized, bulging bundle over her shoulder.
It looked stuffed to the brim, but in reality, it only contained bedding to fool anyone watching.
Carrying the conspicuous bundle, she opened her door and deliberately made some noise.
The doors to the master bedroom and the second bedroom remained tightly shut.
The three of them didn’t even dare show their faces.
Pei Nian sneered inwardly.
She would leave first—and then come back to deal with them.
Carrying the bundle, she walked straight out of the house.
The residential compound was beginning to wake up. Some people were emptying chamber pots, others were filling buckets at the communal water tap, and a few were already preparing to leave for work.
Her obvious “running away from home” appearance immediately attracted curious glances.
“Nian Nian? Where are you going so early in the morning with such a huge bundle?”
A familiar voice called out.
It was Auntie Wang from next door, a woman who had always loved gossip.
Pei Nian stopped.
She raised her eyes, allowing them to redden at just the right moment. Her lips trembled slightly, as if she had countless things to say but couldn’t bring herself to speak.
“Auntie Wang…”
Her voice caught with emotion. She quickly lowered her head and wiped away tears that didn’t actually exist.
“I’m… moving out.”
“Moving out? Why? Isn’t this your home?”
Auntie Wang’s interest was instantly piqued. She stepped closer, while several nearby neighbors quietly pricked up their ears.
Pei Nian took a deep breath, as though summoning great courage, before speaking in a tearful voice—soft enough to sound fragile, yet loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
“This isn’t my home anymore. My father secretly signed me up to be sent to the countryside so Zhao Xiaojun could stay in the city.”
She paused, giving the neighbors time to absorb the shocking news before continuing sadly.
“Auntie Wang, you know my mother passed away when I was young. The only thing she left me was her job position. I was just about to inherit it, but now…”
She deliberately sounded hesitant and helpless.
“My father even severed our family ties. I don’t want to stay here anymore.”
“What? He severed family ties with you?!”
Auntie Wang cried out in shock.
The surrounding neighbors erupted in an uproar.
“How could Engineer Zhao do something like that?”
“He even disowned his own daughter? That’s heartless!”
“Once there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather. Wang Cuihua must have been stirring up trouble. That poor child.”
Voices of sympathy rose one after another, filled with compassion for Pei Nian and condemnation toward Zhao Jianguo and Wang Cuihua.
Amid the sympathetic murmurs, Pei Nian tightened her grip on the bundle.
“I’m leaving for the countryside the day after tomorrow. I’ll stay at my grandfather’s old house for these last two days.”
With that, she lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly as if holding back sobs, and hurried out of the compound.
The moment she turned the street corner, she immediately straightened her back.
The pitiful expression disappeared without a trace.
Her eyes curved into a bright smile.
She sincerely hoped the Zhao family would enjoy this little advance gift.