“Thud!”
Ji Wanwan fell down with a look of utter confusion, her backside landing on something hard and uncomfortable.
“The Ji family’s fool girl fell from the sky! She—she—she sat right on the Young Duke’s face!!”
“Heavens! The Young Duke has fainted! Quick, seize this fool! How dare she injure the only son of the Duke of Rong? Even ten heads wouldn’t be enough to pay the price!”
“The fool is running away! After her!!”
“…”
Ji Wanwan cursed as she ran. She had only wanted to go bungee jumping to find herself, but the rope had snapped. Having landed headfirst, she had been “broken” quite thoroughly on the spot!
She thought her death was miserable enough, but the body she had transmigrated into was even worse!
This fool, with the mental capacity of a three-and-a-half-year-old, had been goaded into donning gliding gear and flying into the sky just to catch the eye of the capital’s third most handsome man, Rong Yu. As fate would have it, the rope… had snapped for her too!
Ji Wanwan wanted to cry. She couldn’t deal with the mess left behind by this dramatic fangirl; she had to get out of here!
After escaping the manor, Ji Wanwan ducked into the narrow alleys. Although the original owner was a fool, she was the sole recipient of her family’s doting affection. Even though the entire family had been driven to poverty by her antics, her three brothers and father still protected her with their lives.
With such reliable reinforcements, she had to buy herself some time. If the people from the Duke of Rong’s estate caught her, she was toast!
“Mother! Nannan finally found you!”
A beautiful, delicate little boy suddenly crashed into her arms. He looked up at her with large, dark, sparkling eyes.
The little fellow looked to be about five years old and was full of spirit. His skin was so fair it seemed to glow, and he carried an air of nobility from head to toe.
Ji Wanwan was completely stunned. “What did you just call me?!”
Mother?!
From the memories she had inherited, the original owner had only just reached her coming-of-age ceremony this year. When this kid was born, the original owner probably wasn’t even as tall as her father’s desk!
A mother at ten… truly, there are malicious commoners out to get me!
This handsome child must be here to run a scam on her!
However, remembering the urgent matter at hand, she decided not to argue with a child. “Quick, move aside! I’m running for my life!!”
“Mother, come with me. I know which way is best!”
Ji Wanwan didn’t know why, but she subconsciously followed this little stranger. Just as he said, the path was secluded and almost empty of people.
The boy seemed very familiar with the streets, as if he had lived here since childhood. After weaving through a few turns, there were fewer people around, and the two of them became safer.
Once Ji Wanwan was out of danger, she asked curiously, “Do you live around here?”
The little boy shook his head in confusion. “I’m familiar with this place because I’ve seen the map of the entire capital.”
Ji Wanwan was astonished. “A map of the whole capital? Including these winding little alleys?!”
She couldn’t memorize so many routes even in a year. How could this child remember them after seeing them a few times at such a young age?
The boy nodded.
In the alley, Ji Wanwan stopped to catch her breath and said gratefully, “Thank you for saving my life, little brother. My name is Ji Wanwan. What’s yours?”
The boy frowned, seemingly disapproving of the title. “My name is Shen Zhinan—the ‘Nan’ that means South. Daddy said that because Mother has a poor sense of direction, as long as Nannan is around, Mother won’t get lost.”
The little fellow tilted his head back, explaining the origin of his name to his mother, trying to awaken her memory.
Upon hearing this, Ji Wanwan’s impression of the boy’s father skyrocketed. With teary eyes, she said, “Your dad is way too romantic!”
For a girl like her with a terrible sense of direction, how could she not be moved by that? He was a walking master of pick-up lines!
Shen Zhinan observed her quietly. Seeing that her expression didn’t change even after hearing about his father—as if she really didn’t know them—he realized something. He couldn’t have recognized the wrong person; this was definitely his mother, just many years younger.
Could it be that he had returned to the time when his mother was young?
At this thought, the little fellow subconsciously pursed his lips and knit his brows like a little adult.
Ji Wanwan patted his small head and said, “Little Nannan, thank you for the directions. Big Sister has to go home now, so we’ll part ways here. If you ever run into any trouble, come find me at the Ji residence on Dongwen Street.”
Seeing that she was about to leave, Shen Zhinan grew anxious and instinctively followed her. For every few steps she took, he took several, eventually breaking into a small trot to keep up.
Hearing the pitter-patter of small footsteps behind her, Ji Wanwan turned around and asked, “Little one, do you have nowhere else to go?”