After stepping out of the room, He Yanchu paced slowly through the house, taking in its layout.
When she had first rushed in, she had been so focused on following her cousin, He Yancheng, straight to her brother He Yan’en’s room that she hadn’t had a chance to look around. Now, surveying her surroundings, she couldn’t help but admire how well her parents had maintained the place. It was rare to find such a refined living environment in a rural village during this era.
The house was a spacious stone and tile structure with a two-story design and an open-air rooftop balcony. The first floor housed the kitchen, a living room, and two bedrooms, while the second floor was cleverly partitioned with wooden planks. The area directly above the kitchen served as a space for drying and storing grain, while the other side contained three partitioned bedrooms. Of the two bedrooms on the first floor, one belonged to her parents and the other to her brother, He Yan’en.
After a quick look around the ground floor, Yanchu climbed the wooden stairs to the second floor to see the original owner’s room. Pushing the door open, she found a simple but tidy space with a vanity table by the bed. For some reason, her gaze was drawn to the vanity as if by an invisible force.
She walked over instinctively and pulled open a drawer. Inside lay a small, carved wooden box. After a moment’s hesitation, she opened it—and a warm, translucent jade ring met her eyes.
“What is this…?” she murmured. As if possessed, she picked it up and slipped it onto her index finger.
The moment the jade touched her skin, a current of warmth spread from her fingertip throughout her entire body. Her muddled thoughts suddenly cleared, like fog being swept away by a fresh breeze. Everything became sharp and vivid. She didn’t even notice that the ring on her finger was gradually turning transparent until it vanished completely.
“Welcome back, Master! I am Kongling, the space spirit who has been with you all along!”
A milky, childlike voice suddenly echoed in her mind. Yanchu froze, her brows knitting together.
“Wait… a spirit? Don’t the novels say you need to form a contract before you can communicate? How did it just recognize me as its master?”
Kongling seemed to sense her confusion and chirped back happily, “Master, I’ve been contracted to you since the moment you were born!”
“Since birth? And you’ve been with me the whole time?” Yanchu’s confusion deepened. “But I’m a transmigrator. Weren’t you with the original He Yanchu?”
“Master, the ‘original’ owner is you, and you are her!” Kongling’s voice was innocent, but the words sent a shock through Yanchu’s heart.
“Hold on, what do you mean by that?” Yanchu demanded internally. “If you can read my mind, you know I came from the modern world. How could I possibly be the He Yanchu of this era?”
Kongling let out a soft sigh, the tiny voice sounding surprisingly helpless.
“Master, your mother was also a transmigrator. She gave birth to you and your siblings inside her own portable space. When you were born, this jade ring came into the world with you. Your mother acted quickly—she pricked your finger and let your blood drop onto the ring to bind me to you. However, at the exact moment the contract was finalized, her space suddenly leveled up. The accidental surge of power sent a fragment of your soul… along with me… to the modern era.”
Yanchu fell silent for a long time, her finger unconsciously rubbing the spot where the ring had vanished.
“If that’s true…” she whispered, her voice slightly raspy, “then why did I never feel your presence while I was in the modern world?”
“Master, you were just a soul fragment reborn. I had only just bonded with you, and my power was weak. The modern world lacked spiritual energy to nourish me, so I remained in a deep slumber until today, when I was finally awakened.”
Yanchu closed her eyes. Scenes from her modern life flashed by, interlacing with the memories of the girl in this era. “So… I didn’t take over someone else’s body. My soul just… returned to where it belongs?”
“Exactly, Master!” Kongling replied cheerfully. “You are finally whole!”
Yanchu took a deep breath, trying to digest the information. She looked down at her bare finger, where the warmth of the ring still seemed to linger. If the ring is gone, it must have merged with me, she thought.
“Kongling, you said you’re a space spirit. Where is this ‘space’ now?” she asked.
“Master, the space is within your Sea of Consciousness!” Kongling’s voice was full of excitement. “You can come in and look around whenever you want!”
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Yanchu’s vision blurred. The simple bedroom vanished, replaced by a vast, open landscape. She found herself standing on a lush green meadow, the breeze carrying the scent of fresh grass. In the distance, emerald mountains were shrouded in mist; nearby, a crystal-clear stream bubbled softly. Stretching out before her were hundreds of acres of neatly arranged farmland, with various crops growing vibrantly in rich, black soil.
“This… this is the space?” Yanchu gasped, looking around in awe.
“Yes, Master!” Kongling suddenly appeared before her. She looked like a chubby five-year-old girl with rosy cheeks and a brilliant smile. “Welcome to your portable space!”
Yanchu knelt down and cautiously poked Kongling’s cheek. It felt soft and warm, making her let out a little laugh.
“Master, stop it!” Kongling dodged shyly. “Let me show you what the space can do!”
“First, any crop can be grown here, and they grow ten times faster than in the outside world! Look over there—” Kongling pointed toward the fields. “That rice was only planted three days ago, and it’s already this tall!”
Yanchu looked and saw a sea of vibrant green rice stalks thriving.
“Secondly, there is a Spirit Spring. The water can strengthen your body and heal wounds quickly. Drinking it long-term can even enhance your beauty and extend your life,” Kongling said, puffing out her chest proudly. “You should drink it often, Master!”
Yanchu walked to the stream, cupped some water, and drank. Immediately, a sense of refreshment washed over her, and her fatigue vanished.
“And this!” Kongling pulled her toward an elegant wooden building. “This is the warehouse. Time stands still inside, so anything you put in stays exactly as it was. Plus, it’s infinitely large!”
Entering the warehouse, Yanchu found rows of neatly organized goods: grain, medicinal herbs, bolts of fabric, and even several crates of gold, silver, jewelry—and instant noodles.
“Where did all this come from?”
“It was left by the previous owner!” Kongling explained. “Your mother. This space is a ‘sub-space’ birthed from her own. After she passed away, the items from her space were automatically transferred here for you to inherit.”
Yanchu’s heart stirred as she touched the items, feeling a lingering connection to the mother she had never met in either life.
“There’s also an orchard, a herb garden, and a livestock farm further up. Most importantly, you can control everything in the space with just your mind,” Kongling continued. “For example, if you want to harvest that rice, just focus and think it!”
Yanchu concentrated, imagining the rice being harvested. A second later, the stalks neatly laid themselves down and piled up at the edge of the field.
“Incredible…” she murmured.
“You can get used to it slowly,” Kongling said with a smile. “Now, want to see your room?”
“There’s a room in here too?”
“Of course!” Kongling led her to a charming courtyard. “This is your private resting area.”
The courtyard was cozy, with a bedroom featuring a carved wooden bed and a window overlooking a breathtaking sea of flowers. Yanchu sat on the edge of the bed, feeling a deep sense of belonging.
“Kongling, thank you,” she said softly.
“You’re welcome, Master!” Kongling sat down beside her happily. “From now on, we’ll live together in this era until you reach the end of your natural life.”
Yanchu couldn’t help but roll her eyes playfully at the little spirit. “Can we not talk about ‘the end’ during such a happy moment? I just got here! I haven’t even begun to enjoy life yet!”