Nan Lingyi knew that she had transmigrated again.
She really couldn’t say she was happy. Who, while blissfully enjoying a wonderful retirement, would want to be suddenly rehired on a temporary basis and dragged back to work?
The leaders of the Transmigration Bureau were truly despicable.
They kept saying that this republican-era web-novel world was already on the verge of collapse, that it would trigger a chain reaction and affect many small worlds, with extremely severe consequences.
Back when she was young, she had worked diligently and devotedly for the Transmigration Bureau, carving out a solid foundation through sheer hard work. After finally retiring to enjoy her later years, the Bureau leaders now claimed the younger batch wasn’t up to the task and that they needed her to come back!
What the hell!
So all the labor was hers in the end.
Carrying the resentment of a retired worker forced back into service, the old woman’s expression was naturally grim, even more sinister than usual, making people instinctively keep their distance.
However, when she habitually checked the funds bound to her personal system, the old woman immediately broke into an exuberant smile.
The system had already completed the currency conversion for this world. No one knew what kind of glitch had occurred, but based on standard Chinese prices in 1993, an ordinary worker’s monthly salary should have been around 150 yuan. Yet in this period-novel world, prices had depreciated by a factor of one million—most people earned only 150 milliyuan per month…
The exchange rate was:
1 yuan = 10,000,000 milliyuan.
An international ultra-luxury villa: 10 yuan.
A top-tier international luxury car: 5 yuan.
And she was bound to assets worth 6 billion yuan.
Perhaps this was compensation for being rehired after retirement—a built-in cheat.
If they’d said that earlier, overtime wouldn’t have been so unacceptable!
Nan Lingyi immediately switched into professional mode and began reviewing the plot information. The more she read, the more her lips twitched uncontrollably. What kind of sin had the original body committed? Abandoned by a scumbag husband, driven insane; four children who should have been the pride of heaven were all ruined by the stepmother; grandchildren who were supposed to be protagonists in other small worlds died one after another in their youth. With all the protagonists dead, how could the interconnected worlds not collapse?
It seemed that to complete the mission, she would have to save the original owner’s four children.
The first step was to leave this dilapidated psychiatric hospital right in front of her. The original owner had lived here for years.
But how did one prove to doctors that they were not mentally ill?
For the original owner, this might have been extremely difficult. For Nan Lingyi, however, it wasn’t hard at all.
After all—money can make even ghosts move millstones.
The original owner’s madness was a form of living in her own world, with no aggressive tendencies.
Nurse Wang came in for her routine ward check and asked, as usual,
“Ms. Nan Lingyi, are you feeling unwell anywhere today?”
Under normal circumstances, Nan Lingyi would not reply. Nurse Wang was already accustomed to that. But today, the old woman sat bolt upright. Perhaps having not spoken for a long time, her voice was a little hoarse:
“I’m very well. Thank you for taking care of me all these years. I’d like to see your hospital director.”
Nurse Wang was startled, then immediately delighted.
“Y-you’ve regained awareness? Alright, I’ll ask the director to come right away.”
People in those days were simple and genuine, and the director of this psychiatric hospital was both highly responsible and possessed of true medical compassion. The original owner had lived here for nearly twenty years and had always been well cared for.
Moreover, according to the original owner’s memories, this hospital had never ignored patients’ dignity simply because of their condition. They had always done their utmost for every patient.
But this also led to a problem. The hospital had once been the best in Jincheng. Over the years, however, it had grown increasingly unable to make ends meet and was now on the brink of bankruptcy.
Nan Lingyi reviewed the plot. This very winter, the psychiatric hospital would close down, the original owner would end up wandering the streets, and eventually die miserably.
So she was willing to spend a sum of money—both to save this compassionate hospital and to allow herself to leave openly and legitimately.
Nurse Wang went to the office to look for the director. Director Li was staring at the hospital’s account books, hair practically falling out from stress. He had recently sold his family home, barely managing to keep things afloat for a little longer. But without additional income, how much longer could they last?
“Director, Ms. Nan Lingyi seems to have regained consciousness. She wants to see you.”
Joy immediately appeared on Director Li’s face. As a doctor, nothing made him happier than seeing a patient improve. Back then, he had rejected recruitment offers from Huadu Hospital and insisted on founding a psychiatric treatment hospital in Jincheng. Everyone said that once someone was insane, they could never recover—but he refused to believe it. The body could be treated when it fell ill; why should illnesses of the mind be untreatable?
He just didn’t know how much longer he could hold on…
“Alright, I’ll go see her now.”
Director Li hurried to his feet and followed Nurse Wang to the ward. He never could have imagined that this visit would change his life.
“Director, thank you for your careful care all these years,” Nan Lingyi said calmly.
“I’ve had no family to pay my medical fees and have owed them for so long. It’s time I settled that debt.”
Director Li quickly waved his hands. He knew the situation of every patient here. Nan Lingyi had been abandoned by her husband back then and had been ill for many years—how could she possibly have any money?
Seeing his reaction, Nan Lingyi couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“Though I’ve been muddled all these years, thanks to the doctors and nurses who never shunned me and often spoke to me about the outside world, I’ve heard many things. In earlier years, I wouldn’t have dared say something like this for fear of implicating myself. But now, times are better.”
“My family were once a prestigious clan, spanning many generations, and left behind some assets. Now that I’m clear-headed, I remember everything.”
“Would you be willing to accompany me to withdraw the money?”
To prove she was no longer mentally ill, it wasn’t enough to just say she wasn’t mad. Coherent speech and orderly actions were the best proof.
She knew that if she merely said she wanted to withdraw money, the director, doctors, and nurses might not believe her—perhaps they would just take it as a patient’s delusion. But once the money was actually withdrawn, that would be the strongest evidence.
Director Li considered for a moment, then nodded.
Observing a patient’s behavior in real situations was the best form of assessment.
However, when they arrived at the bank entrance, Director Li hesitated. This Citibank branch was said to be an international giant. Just days earlier, through a friend’s introduction, he had tried to apply for a loan here—and had been politely but firmly rejected.
Nan Lingyi had no other clothes after all these years in the hospital, so she was still wearing the slightly pilled hospital patient uniform, with “Jincheng No. 27 Hospital” printed on it.
Bound funds would not simply appear out of thin air; they would integrate legally into the world.
“Ma’am, what business would you like to handle?”
The bank staff looked Nan Lingyi up and down. The elderly woman in front of him simply didn’t look like someone wealthy. Citibank dealt exclusively with major clients—just like that director he’d seen yesterday, who wasn’t even qualified to apply for a loan there.
Nan Lingyi stood straight, her expression indifferent.
“I’m withdrawing money. Password account: 8888.”
The staff member gasped.
Password accounts were known only to the most distinguished black-gold clients. They didn’t even need to present a card, and a single deposit under such an account could support an entire country.
And 8888 was an especially supreme number.
He hurriedly escorted the two of them to the VIP area, personally serving them the finest drinks and desserts.
“Please wait a moment. A dedicated specialist will come right away to assist you.”
(End of Chapter)