Li Wanting slowly walked out of the university gates with a backpack on her shoulders. Turning back, she looked at the grand and imposing XX Agricultural University, the school where she had spent the last four years.
It had been two years since she last returned to her hometown. Now that she had graduated, it was finally time to go back to pay respects to her grandparents and stay there for a while.
Thinking of them made her eyes redden. Not long after she was born, her father had died in a factory accident, dragged into a machine while working.
Her mother later remarried and started a new family. Li Wanting did not want to disturb her mother’s new life, so they usually just called each other during holidays and festivals to check that the other was doing well.
Her grandparents had raised her with endless care and love. Although life had not been easy financially, they treasured her dearly, afraid she would “break if held in their hands or melt if held in their mouths.”
When Li Wanting was in her second year of high school, her grandfather died suddenly from a heart attack. Her grandmother passed away a year later. Fortunately, with the compensation from her father’s death, the living expenses her mother sent monthly, and the part-time jobs she worked herself, she not only completed her education successfully but also managed to save some money.
She hailed a taxi by the roadside and went to the supermarket. Shopping in her hometown was inconvenient, so she needed to prepare in advance.
By the time she came out carrying several large bags, the sky had already gone dark. After taking a taxi back to her apartment, she drew the curtains, took a shower, and then vanished into her space.
This space had awakened accidentally during her freshman year of college. Before her grandmother passed away, she had given Li Wanting an old crystal-clear jade bracelet, saying it was a family heirloom passed down from mother-in-law to daughter-in-law through generations.
Originally, it had been given to her mother, but before remarrying, her mother returned the bracelet to the grandmother, who later passed it on to Li Wanting before her death.
One time, while peeling an apple, Li Wanting accidentally cut her hand. Blood dripped onto the bracelet, activating the space.
The space was like a hidden paradise: hundreds of acres of fertile farmland, a stream, mountains, and a traditional courtyard house. Beside it stood an infinitely large warehouse.
Time inside the warehouse was frozen. Whatever was stored inside remained exactly the same when taken out. Hot steamed buns stayed steaming hot no matter how long they were stored, and ice cream never melted.
At first, the space had been empty, but now she had organized it carefully, turning it into a thriving little world.
Since childhood, she had often helped her grandparents with farm work, and in university she majored in agriculture. Because the space allowed planting, she bought all kinds of farming tools and modern machinery.
The fields were filled with grain crops, fruits, and vegetables. The stream contained fish, shrimp, and crabs. The mountains were covered with fruit trees from both northern and southern regions. She also raised chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, cows, and sheep in free range.
The courtyard was planted with flowers and greenery, and the house was furnished with modern furniture. She had even installed solar panels to provide electricity.
Li Wanting also had a habit of stockpiling supplies. After reading online rumors about an approaching apocalypse, she began storing even more things.
One corner of the warehouse was lined with shelves packed full of food, drinks, and daily necessities, looking almost like a giant supermarket. Another corner held mountains of grain, fruits, and vegetables.
Sitting on a soft, comfortable sofa, Li Wanting ate potato chips while watching television, feeling utterly content.
Once her hair was almost dry, she turned off the TV, tied her hair into a bun, grabbed two baskets from the warehouse, and headed up the mountain.
She picked a rosy peach and bit into it. The flesh was fresh, juicy, and fragrant, instantly washing away all her worries.
Products from the space were always top quality—naturally grown without pesticides, making them incomparably delicious.
As she wandered around the mountain eating the peach, she saw some fruit trees blossoming, some bearing fruit, and others already ripe. Chickens, ducks, and geese strolled leisurely through the woods, while herds of cattle and sheep swished their tails on the grassy slopes, happily grazing. The pigs she raised were plump and healthy.
After finishing the peach, she filled one basket with apples, pears, cherries, grapes, and other fruits, and another basket with freshly gathered chicken, duck, and goose eggs.
Humming happily, she carried the baskets back down the mountain. She stored the eggs in the warehouse and left the space with the fruit.
Back in her room, Li Wanting packed her belongings, set an alarm clock, and went to sleep.
“Ring, ring, ring—”
The alarm sounded, and she reached out to turn it off.
After a dreamless night, she stretched lazily, got up to wash, cooked herself a bowl of egg noodles, and after eating, pulled her suitcase downstairs.
At a crosswalk, a Volkswagen had just stopped to let pedestrians pass, so Li Wanting started walking forward. Suddenly, an SUV sped down the adjacent lane. Before she could dodge, she was sent flying by the impact.
“Ahhh—!”
Great Yan Kingdom, Year One, Zhou Family Village.
“Brother, you’re back! I was very obedient. I didn’t slack off at all. I stayed by Mother’s side the whole time and never left even one step.”
“Mm, good girl.”
“But Brother, when will Mother wake up? Wuwu…”
“Don’t cry. Mother will definitely be fine.”
Half-conscious, Li Wanting heard children crying. Struggling, she opened her eyes and saw a little boy wiping tears from a small girl’s face.
“You…” Li Wanting opened her mouth, but her hoarse voice startled even herself, leaving her speech stuck halfway.
“Mother, you’re awake! Brother, Mother woke up! Wuwu… Mother, you scared me to death!”
The little girl burst into tears and threw herself into Li Wanting’s arms.
The boy also looked overjoyed as he grabbed her hand.
“Mother, you finally woke up. Does your head still hurt? You lost so much blood. Little Sister and I were terrified.”
Mother?
What was going on?
She had never even had a boyfriend. Where had these children come from?
A sharp pain exploded in her head, followed by a flood of unfamiliar memories.
What?!
She had actually transmigrated into ancient times—into the body of a widow whose husband had just died. And she even came with a son and daughter included! The original owner of the body was also named Li Wanting, exactly the same as her.
“Mother, what’s wrong? Mother? Mother…” Seeing her staring blankly ahead without speaking, the little boy called anxiously.
“Mother!” The little girl, hearing her brother’s panic, stopped crying and called out too.
Hearing the children’s worried voices, Li Wanting finally snapped back to reality.
She sighed deeply. Since she was already here, she might as well make the best of it. Since she had taken over the original owner’s body, she would raise these children well in her place.
Looking at the pair of children—thin, malnourished, and dressed in patch-covered clothes—her heart ached.
“Mother’s fine. Be good now. I scared you, didn’t I?”
“Mm… wuwu… Mother…”
The little girl buried herself in Li Wanting’s arms and cried again.
The little boy finally let out a long breath of relief. He had been terrified that after waking up, his mother would become foolish again.
Bah bah bah, what was he thinking?
He hurriedly shook his head.
Looking at her crying daughter and red-eyed son, Li Wanting remembered that the family had already run out of food. For the past two days, the original owner and the children had survived on wild vegetable soup.
She quickly checked on her space and discovered that it had transmigrated with her. After inspecting it, she found that the space remained exactly as it had been in her previous life—nothing added, nothing missing.
Only then did she finally feel relieved.