A young woman sat alone on a cliff, gazing into the distance with a forlorn expression.
Who would have thought that Mu Jianxi, who had been walking down a busy street just moments ago, would suddenly find herself in this godforsaken place?
After sitting in silence for a while, she brushed the dust off her clothes and looked down at the city below the cliff.
“Well, since I’m here, I might as well make the best of it.”
With that, she headed toward the city.
As she approached the city gates, she noticed that everyone was dressed in ancient-style clothing. There were even soldiers guarding the entrance.
Only then did it truly dawn on her.
This wasn’t the modern world.
Could it be…
Had she actually transmigrated?
She slapped her cheeks a few times, hoping to wake herself from the dream. But when she opened her eyes again, the scene remained exactly the same.
“Oh no… I really have traveled back to ancient times.”
She glanced at the guards, then down at her own outfit—a white blouse paired with light-colored skinny jeans.
A worrying thought immediately crossed her mind.
“Dressed like this, are they going to mistake me for some kind of monster and tie me to a stake to be burned alive?”
“Master, there’s no need to worry. This is the Ancient Kingdom of Qiyuan. Since it has long maintained trade relations with foreign nations, people occasionally see travelers wearing unusual clothing. At most, they’ll be curious.”
A childish voice suddenly spoke.
Startled, Mu Jianxi looked around before realizing the voice was coming from the jade bracelet on her left wrist.
She remembered that the bracelet had been passed down from her mother as a family heirloom.
Curious, she asked,
“Was that you speaking?”
“Yes. I am Bao Bao, the little steward of your Gourmet Space.
“I can provide you with various ingredients and seasonings. However, in return, you must follow my instructions and prepare designated dishes.
“As you accumulate points, the space will level up. Each upgrade unlocks new ingredients and seasonings.
“Your current level is Level 1.
“Your space inventory currently contains:
Seasonings:
And also lemons.
“All of these items have unlimited use, so you’ll never have to worry about running out.
“Additionally, since you have no starting capital, I’ve prepared a Beginner’s Gift Pack containing ten thousand taels of silver.
“Please remember to spend it wisely.”
A blue screen appeared before her eyes.
A small bun-shaped mascot popped up and enthusiastically introduced the space.
It looked so adorable that she couldn’t help wanting to pinch its cheeks.
“Alright, Bao Bao. I understand.”
Now that she had startup funds, what was there to fear?
She confidently walked toward the city gate.
As Bao Bao had said, the soldiers merely glanced at her unusual clothes. Their eyes showed curiosity rather than suspicion, and they let her enter without question.
The city streets were bustling with activity.
Shops lined both sides of the road.
Crowds moved through the avenues, laughter and conversation filling the air.
Men and women in colorful, elegant clothing passed one another, their faces full of joy and vitality.
The lively atmosphere was infectious.
Before long, a delicious aroma drifted into Mu Jianxi’s nose.
Only then did she realize she was hungry.
Following the scent, she arrived at a small wonton stall.
She ordered a bowl and found an empty seat to wait.
A short while later, the owner brought her food.
Picking up a wonton with her spoon, she blew on it gently and took a bite.
Almost immediately, her expression soured.
The filling was indeed pure meat, but no spices or aromatics had been added to remove the gamey smell.
As for the broth, it tasted as though only a tiny pinch of salt had been added.
For someone who was a famous food blogger, this was simply unacceptable.
After finishing a single wonton, she completely lost her appetite.
Deciding not to continue, she stood up to pay.
Bao Bao quickly exchanged money into local currency for her.
After handing the owner ten copper coins, she asked,
“Boss, do you know where I can buy a house?”
The owner accepted the payment and pointed down the street.
“Yes. Walk straight ahead and turn at the next corner. You’ll see a place called Shanggu Workshop. That’s where you’ll want to go.”
“Thank you. I wish you prosperous business and abundant wealth.”
Following his directions, she soon arrived at the establishment.
The moment she stepped inside, a broker hurried over.
“Miss, are you looking to sell a house or buy one?”
“I want to buy one. Do you have any good properties to recommend?”
The broker’s eyes shifted thoughtfully.
In truth, most of the best houses in the capital had already been sold.
But judging by her unusual clothes, she seemed to be a wealthy foreign visitor.
Then an idea struck him.
There was one excellent property still available.
The only issue was that it happened to sit next to a certain notorious individual whose temper terrified everyone.
Still, if she offended that fearsome person, what did it have to do with him?
He was only a property broker.
“Miss, I do happen to know of an excellent residence. I can take you there right now.”
“Sounds good.”
The broker led her to a large courtyard residence.
Unlocking the gate with a prepared key, he ushered her inside.
The moment Mu Jianxi entered, her eyes widened.
“This place is huge! It really is a wonderful house.”
Then she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“No one died here, right? If people died here, I’m not buying it.”
The broker immediately patted his chest.
“Miss, rest assured. Absolutely nobody has died here. I run an honest business.”
“Good. Name your price.”
The broker held up three fingers.
“Three hundred taels of silver.”
Mu Jianxi shook her head.
“One hundred and fifty.”
The broker nearly choked.
After years in this business, it was the first time he’d encountered someone who slashed the asking price exactly in half.
“Miss, that’s far too low. How about this? Since it’s you, I’ll offer a special price—two hundred and fifty taels.”
She waved dismissively.
“One hundred and fifty. If that’s unacceptable, I’ll buy elsewhere.”
The broker nearly burst into tears.
“Miss, two hundred taels is really the lowest I can go. Any less and my employer will skin me alive.”
The house had sat unsold for nearly a year.
Every potential buyer fled the moment they learned that the neighboring estate belonged to that infamous “living demon.”
Now that he finally had an interested buyer, he hadn’t expected her bargaining skills to be so terrifying.
Mu Jianxi smiled.
“You should’ve said two hundred taels from the start. Where do I get the deed?”
The broker blinked.
Then realization struck.
She had been aiming for two hundred all along.
Suppressing the urge to cry, he replied,
“At the government office, Miss. I’ll take you there immediately.”
The two of them headed to the local yamen.
The transfer process went smoothly, and before long the property deed was officially hers.
As soon as they exited the office, the broker bid her farewell.
Clutching the silver payment tightly, he ran away so quickly that it looked as though someone were chasing him.
Afterward, Mu Jianxi visited a clothing shop and purchased several sets of local dresses in simple, elegant colors, spending more than twenty taels.
She then went to the market and bought pork, vegetables, and several common seasonings used in this world.
That cost another ten or so taels of silver.
With a house secured and supplies in hand, her new life in the ancient kingdom was finally about to begin.