Late May, in the tenth year of Yongjia.
From the sparse bamboo grove by the roadside came the sound of a child sobbing softly, adding a trace of sorrow to the greenery around them.
“Mother, don’t leave A-Ming—”
“A-Ming will eat less from now on so Mother can have enough at every meal… wuuu…”
The boy called A-Ming knelt beside a wooden handcart, his little dirt-stained hands constantly wiping away tears. Every few moments, he would glance at the woman lying on the cart, her face flushed red with fever.
Beside him stood three silent youths. One’s eyes were red-rimmed, another bit his lip tightly, and the third clenched his fists.
The scene drew sighs from the scattered people resting nearby.
“Ah, what a pitiful family. Their father’s already gone, and now their mother’s about to die too. Even if she never cared much for them, it’s still better than having no mother at all.”
“Exactly. I wonder whether Old Lady Ye will take care of the four brothers. If she doesn’t, they probably won’t even have food to eat.”
“It shouldn’t get that bad. Jianshan’s father served in the army for over ten years; he must’ve brought back some money. Even if that woman spent freely, there should still be ten or so taels left. Once they settle down, they can buy a couple mu of farmland.
If the villagers all lend a hand, they’ll manage.”
“That’s true. Besides, that woman never worked much at home anyway. As long as the four brothers stick together, they’ll survive. Though didn’t she say the family was almost out of money?”
“You actually believed her?”
The bamboo grove wasn’t large, and nobody bothered lowering their voices. Hearing the discussion, Old Lady Ye sighed inwardly before walking toward the boys.
When she reached the cart, she bent down to check the woman’s breathing. Then she shut her eyes hard and said:
“Stop crying. Your mother’s barely breathing now. Listen to Grandma’s arrangements.
Jianshan and Jianwu, go ask your uncles to help dig a grave. Jianwen, get a cloth and wipe your mother’s face. A-Ming, go boil some water.”
Instead of calming down, A-Ming cried even harder. He hugged the woman’s hand tightly to his chest and wailed,
“No! Don’t bury my mother! My mother isn’t dead!”
The other three boys remained frozen in place, their chests heaving as they stared fixedly at the woman on the cart.
Seeing they refused to obey, Old Lady Ye angrily tried to push them aside, but the three youths stubbornly held their ground.
Furious, she cursed under her breath:
“Boss’s wife! Why are you just standing there? Come help me pull them away!”
The bamboo grove immediately erupted into chaos.
No one noticed the woman on the cart frown slightly, her eyelids trembling faintly.
..
He Wanqing had been dreaming when the noise beside her woke her up.
She had terrible morning temper. Originally she wanted to roar at whoever was making the racket, but the moment she tried to speak, a sharp pain tore through her throat.
The pain snapped her fully awake, and she immediately realized something was wrong.
Wasn’t she sleeping at home? Why was it so noisy?
Alarmed, He Wanqing hurriedly opened her eyes, only to reflexively shut them again at the blinding white light. But recalling the glimpse she had just seen, her entire body shuddered.
What the hell?
Why was she outdoors?
Was she still dreaming?
Then why could she feel pain?
After her eyes adjusted, she slowly opened them again.
The scene before her remained unchanged:
A bamboo grove beneath the open sky, several dark-skinned boys arguing with a woman.
He Wanqing froze for two seconds, about to ask what was happening, when suddenly a flood of unfamiliar memories surged into her mind.
The enormous rush of information made her head throb painfully, and her hand instinctively moved to clutch it.
A-Ming, who had been crying while hugging her arm, noticed the movement. He looked up—and instantly froze.
Even the teardrops hanging from his eyelashes seemed to stop falling.
“Mother?”
After several breaths, he cautiously called out.
Without waiting for a response, he stumbled to tug at the sleeve of the nearest youth, his voice timid yet determined.
“Big Brother, Mother’s not dead! She moved!”
The words hit like a pause command.
Everyone turned toward the woman on the cart at once.
By then, He Wanqing had calmed down somewhat. Piecing together the chaotic memories she had just inherited, she finally understood her current situation.
Fuck!
She had actually slept her way into another world!
And to make matters worse, she had transmigrated into the body of a thirty-four-year-old woman with four sons already grown!
Even more tragically, she was homeless and currently fleeing famine with a bunch of children in tow!
Dear God, was this punishment for her previously smooth thirty-four years of life?
Had all those years of studying been for nothing?
She had worked so hard to become a university lecturer!
Damn you, you thieving heavens!
Countless curses exploded in her mind.
But no matter how unwilling or dissatisfied she felt, reality had already been decided.
What else could He Wanqing do?
╮(╯▽╰)╭
Take it one step at a time, I guess.
Seeing that the woman who had practically stopped breathing moments ago had awakened, Old Lady Ye secretly relaxed. But when she noticed He Wanqing’s dazed expression, her heart tightened again.
Please don’t let her brain have been cooked by the fever…
None of Second Son’s four boys were married yet. Having a foolish mother would make finding wives difficult.
Filled with worry, Old Lady Ye walked off in another direction.
Before long, Old Lady Chen strode over briskly.
Old Lady Chen’s maternal family knew some medicine, and she had picked up a few basics while growing up. Though only superficial knowledge, she often treated the villagers’ minor illnesses, gradually gaining experience over time.
So when someone she had previously judged beyond saving suddenly woke up, she was deeply shocked.
She hurried over to the cart and, before He Wanqing could react, placed a rough hand—covered in cracks and calluses—against her forehead.
Feeling the faint scratchiness against her skin, He Wanqing finally snapped out of her internal cursing and moved her sore eyes.
Old Lady Chen asked,
“Jianshan’s mother, do you still know who I am?”
He Wanqing slowly nodded.
She had fully absorbed the recent memories and knew this woman was the only person among them with any medical knowledge. She was also the aunt of this body’s husband.
“Good. Her brain’s not burned stupid, and the fever’s going down. As long as it doesn’t return, she’ll recover in a few days.”
Under everyone’s expectant gazes, Old Lady Chen cheerfully announced the diagnosis.
Hearing this, A-Ming happily sniffled and secretly grabbed a corner of He Wanqing’s clothing with his tiny hand.
The other boys visibly relaxed as well.
Hearing the sniffling sound, He Wanqing lowered her gaze.
Then she saw a little dark-skinned child with a shaved head, mud smeared across his face, and two suspicious streams hanging beneath his nose.
He Wanqing instinctively turned her head away in discomfort.
Good heavens.
This filthy little gremlin was actually her youngest son?
And with that tiny body, was he even ten years old?
Just strike her with lightning already!
A-Ming had originally wanted to grin at his mother when he saw her looking at him.
But then he saw her turn away in disgust.
Immediately, he lowered his head sadly, slowly releasing the corner of her clothes.
Mother… Mother still didn’t like seeing him.
From now on, he should keep his head lowered whenever he spoke to her.
He had always known this.
But… but why did his heart hurt so much?
Drip.
A teardrop fell onto the dirt beneath his feet.