“Little one, we’ve already reached the person you were looking for. Have some water first,” said a policewoman in her thirties, her voice soft and gentle. The girl before her was a bit dusty, yet so breathtakingly lovely that the officer found herself speaking in an unconsciously sweeter, warmer tone.
Yu Wanzhi sat weakly on the bench. She took the paper cup the officer offered her and took a small, delicate sip.
It had been two days since she last ate. Hunger gnawed sharply at her empty stomach—not that there was no food to be had, but the air inside these old train carriages was so thick and stifling it made her dizzy and lightheaded. At times she’d nearly wished she could climb right up onto the roof just to breathe!
After drinking, Yu Wanzhi lifted her small, smudged face. Two charming dimples showed as she smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Sister. Did Xiao Yunting say when he’ll be here?”
The policewoman looked troubled. “Comrade Xiao says he doesn’t know you. But don’t worry—you could tell us his details perfectly, and we believe you.”
“Wait another hour. If he still hasn’t come by then, I’ll walk you to the neighborhood office. The staff there will go speak with him and sort things out. You two will meet, I promise.”
Yu Wanzhi blinked her large, dewy apricot eyes and thanked the officer politely.
It was fine if she couldn’t see him just yet. She had traveled two full days and nights by train to reach the capital city—at the very least, she now knew for certain: he was real, and he was here.
Yes. She had been reborn. And somehow, she had traveled back to 1976—the very year Xiao Yunting turned twenty.
When she first came to her senses, she was utterly bewildered. Her last memory was of that massive truck crashing into her. She had braced herself to be torn apart, thinking it would finally be an end. Yet when she opened her eyes again, she found herself dropped straight into the 1970s.
She woke lying deep within the vast, remote mountains of the Northeast. She had nothing but the clothes she died in—and a large, black snake as thick as her wrist, staring back at her eye to eye.
She nearly choked on her breath and died a second time—this one, of fright.
At that desperate, hair’s-breadth moment, she was suddenly pulled away by an invisible force and drawn into a hidden paradise. Mist curled softly through the air, wispy and ethereal. As far as the eye could see, everything glowed with rich, vibrant green life.
Above stretched a vast, endless sky streaked with soft, cloud-like wisps of white. Below lay rich, dark fertile soil. In the distance rose a mountain range piercing the clouds, its peaks folded one behind another, veiled in drifting mist.
She heard the gentle gurgling of running water. Following the sound, she came to a crystal-clear stream. Sunlight danced across its sparkling surface. As she stepped near, a cool, sweet breeze washed over her, instantly refreshing her as though every trace of exhaustion had been swept away.
Carefully, she dipped her hand in. The water was cool and smooth against her skin. She cupped a handful and tasted it.
It was faintly sweet, much like honey water. Having always loved sweet things, she drank handful after handful until she had drunk her fill.
Before long, she felt a gentle warmth spreading through her lower belly. Her limbs felt lighter, her body stronger. When she brushed a hand across her face, it came away coated in dark grime.
Stunned, she wasted no time. She stripped off her dusty clothes and plunged into the stream with a soft splash. She washed thoroughly for twenty minutes until every trace of dirt was gone.
Clambering back onto the bank, she looked down at herself—and her eyes went wide. Her pink lips formed a perfect little ‘O’ as she stared in shock at what had happened to her body.
Her already fair skin was now softer, smoother, and luminous—pale as snow, delicate and flawless, without a single stray hair anywhere. Her chest had grown fuller by at least two cup sizes, round and lush.
She was still admiring herself in delight when a plump, bright-colored koi swam up through the water. She gasped and instinctively covered herself, letting out a startled cry.
The next moment, something far more shocking happened: the koi opened its mouth—and spoke.
“Hey! Stop shrieking! I’m not some man—what are you so scared of?!”
Yu Wanzhi stared in disbelief. The fish’s scales shimmered in brilliant gold and crimson, neat and orderly. Its broad tail fanned gracefully through the water like a silk skirt.
Staring at it, her fear began to fade.
“Who… who are you? Where is this place? Did I die? I remember my legs were torn off in the crash… why am I completely unhurt? And this water—why do I feel so different after drinking it…?”
The koi cut her off with a snap. “So many questions! Shut your mouth and listen to me!”
Only then did Yu Wanzhi understand. It was the Twin Jade Fish Pendant that had brought her here. She had been clutching it tightly in her hand the moment the truck struck her. Merging with her blood, the pendant had awakened—and activated the ancient Mustard Seed Space sealed within it.
This koi was the spirit beast bound to the pendant—the master and guardian of this entire realm.
The water she had just drunk, upon first consumption, purifies the body and marrow and washes away impurities. Continued use would strengthen her health and vitality over time.
Yu Wanzhi blinked her large eyes slowly and nodded, still dazed. “It’s 1976…? That means Xiao Yunting is only twenty? Is he… is he alive in this time too?”
So much to take in all at once—she felt as though she had stepped out of time itself.
The koi rolled its great golden eyes and flicked its tail. In the distance, rising from the empty ground, appeared the familiar facade of the grand shopping mall Xiao Yunting had built in her past life.
“I dragged you through time and across space just for this—to find him! That mall was yours in your past life. I’ve brought it here for you!”
Yu Wanzhi stared at the building she knew so well, joy surging through her. Her heart raced, her fingertips tingled, and her whole body trembled with excitement.
She hurried across the stream, ran up the steps, and pushed open the heavy doors.
Long ago—in her past life—when they were still together, Yu Wanzhi had often gone with him to work. She knew every floor of this place by heart. The only difference now was that, aside from her, the entire building stood quiet and empty.
The ground floor was a wholesale supermarket. Shelves lined with every imaginable good—grains, flour, cooking oil, fresh fruits and vegetables, beverages, household goods, and prepared foods of all kinds. She picked up a roasted chicken leg, bit into it with relish, and walked toward the escalator leading up.
The second floor held household appliances—all the finest and most modern models from the 1990s through the turn of the century: color televisions, energy-saving air conditioners, automatic washing machines, double-door refrigerators, VCRs, and floor-standing stereos, everything she could remember.
She barely glanced at that floor and went straight up to the third floor—the clothing and shoe section.
Even though she was alone here save for a talking fish, she still felt exposed and vulnerable. She had guessed from the foliage outside that it was summer. She chose fresh undergarments, a pretty pink dress patterned with small blossoms, and a simple pair of white canvas sneakers, dressing quickly.
The fourth floor held jewelry shops and cosmetics counters. The fifth was home goods and furnishings. The sixth floor was where they had spent more time together than anywhere else—his office.
Yu Wanzhi pushed open the deep red lacquered door and stepped inside. Looking at every familiar piece of furniture and decoration, her heart swelled with longing and emotion…
Half an hour later, having composed herself, she stepped back out of the mall. Following the koi’s instructions, she closed her eyes, whispered the word “Leave”—and in the blink of an eye, found herself back in the quiet, shadowed mountain forest.
She was going to the capital. She was going to see Xiao Yunting. Right now.