“Xia Yuge, have you lost your mind? You want me to take you to the army, and even ask me to find you a match… how dare you?!”
Gu Nianchen stared at her as if he’d seen a ghost. If he could, he’d pry open her head just to see what on earth was going on inside it.
“If that’s not possible, then there’s nothing more to say. You’re a platoon leader now, and I’m your officially betrothed fiancée. We’ve both reached the legal age of marriage, so I have every right to ask to move to the army base and marry you.”
Dammit.
Think I can’t handle you, huh?
Xia Yuge threw up both hands, deciding to just go all in.
She didn’t want to do this, but she had no choice. The original owner of this body was just a poor, ordinary village girl. In this era, you not only needed money to buy things—you also needed ration coupons. Even traveling far from home required a formal letter of introduction from your village.
Without those, even with money, you’d starve, let alone try to travel anywhere.
And besides—she knew for a fact that the moment Gu Nianchen left, this family of bloodsuckers would drain her dry until not a scrap remained.
She’d been given a second chance at life. She didn’t care much for this identity, sure—but living, however meagerly, was better than dying.
So she’d decided to seize this opportunity to break free from this leech-like family once and for all.
More than that—she’d landed in a strange world with no job and no income. She couldn’t just sit around and watch her savings vanish. After weighing everything, the army base was her only viable option right now.
As for the rest? She’d take it one step at a time. Because that was the only place she stood a chance of surviving.
Gu Nianchen had already guessed what she was up to. He knew perfectly well that if he refused, she’d really follow him straight to the army and make a scene.
For the sake of his career—and for the sake of the woman he truly loved—he had no choice but to agree to her unreasonable demand.
“Fine. I agree. But I have one condition of my own.
I’ll take you to the base, but you must pass as my distant cousin. Army regulations limit family visits to three months at most. We’ll set that as your time limit. If after three months you still haven’t found someone to marry, you return here to Gu Village without a word. Accept, and we shake on it. Refuse, and I leave tomorrow morning.
After all—no sister stays at her brother’s post forever. Especially when we aren’t truly related.”
“Deal. I accept.”
Xia Yuge agreed without hesitation.
Now that terms were settled, there was no reason for Gu Nianchen to linger. He told her he’d head to the town bank shortly to withdraw the money; once she received it, she’d sign and place her fingerprint on the agreement.
Xia Yuge nodded.
Watching him storm off in a huff, she flopped back down onto the rickety bed that creaked and groaned beneath her.
“Waaah—stupid God, unfair God! They say when Heaven closes a door, it opens a window somewhere… so where’s my window? Where’s my promised golden finger, my special power? Couldn’t You have given me something?
Waaah… Little Silver, where are you? I miss you so much…”
She stared up at the cobwebs strung across the ceiling, and the tiny, busy spider scurrying across them, her heart heavy with frustration.
[Mistress… are You looking for Me?]
A soft, sweet voice suddenly echoed inside her mind. Then a flash of white light—and the faint, translucent form of a Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox appeared within her consciousness.
“Little Silver! You’re here! I was so afraid you’d been destroyed by that heavenly tribulation lightning!” Xia Yuge’s heart soared with joy.
[Mistress must remember—Little Silver is Your Soul-Bound Pet. As long as Your soul endures, Little Silver shall never perish.]
“Mm… but Little Silver, you feel… strange. Are you alright?”
As her soul companion, Xia Yuge could sense it clearly. Though the fox put on a brave front, its condition was far from well.
[Do not worry, Mistress. Little Silver is a spirit beast—death does not come so easily. But Your soul power has been severely depleted. As Your bonded companion, Little Silver has suffered the same harm.
Until Your soul power is restored, Little Silver can only remain within Your mind and soul space. I cannot manifest a physical form to stand beside You in this world.]
The Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox drooped, its voice faint.
“Don’t worry, Little Silver. I promise—I’ll find a way to restore my soul power as fast as I can, so you can take form again.” Xia Yuge vowed at once.
[I know You will. Little Silver believes in You—You are the supreme Soul Beast Master, after all!]
The fox gave a valiant little wave of its paw, trying its best to cheer her on.
[But Mistress… this world You have come to is unlike our old home. There is barely any spiritual energy here at all. Without spiritual energy, Your soul power cannot heal naturally. The only remedy is a Soul Fruit—and those are rare beyond measure, almost impossible to find. Please… do not strain Yourself. Let things unfold as they may.]
The Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox fell silent then, too weak to speak further.
Seeing it so frail twisted Xia Yuge’s heart. She frowned in thought, then spoke firmly.
“Don’t lose heart, Little Silver. We’re here now, so we make the best of it. If Heaven brought us here together, there must be a reason. Whatever happens—I’m going to try.
And besides… in a few days I’m leaving for the army base. I’ve heard there are endless, forested mountains all around it. Who knows? Maybe… just maybe… we’ll find a Soul Fruit there.” She glanced toward the window, and a flicker of hope kindled in her chest.
Just then—loud footsteps and shouting voices erupted from outside the door.
Xia Yuge soothed her spirit fox, rose, and opened the door. Standing there were the Gu family’s bloodsuckers, all shouting and bickering furiously about her being taken to the base.
“What is all this?” Xia Yuge asked, her expression turning cold.
“What do you think we’re doing?” one of the women snapped back. “Some people act as if they’re some grand fairy from the heavens! Going to the army to hunt for a man? Look at yourself—what man would ever look twice at the likes of you? Even a beggar on the street would turn his nose up at you!
Hmph. Stay put here in Gu Village, if you know what’s good for you. If you dare go to the base and ruin my brother’s reputation… you’ll regret it!” Gu Xiaohua, Gu Nianchen’s younger sister, glared at her and snarled.
“Oh? Really?” Xia Yuge replied with a cold smile. “And how exactly do you intend to make me regret it? By being just like you?”
“You—!”
“Cut the ‘you.’ Gu Xiaohua—let me make one thing clear. No one here gets to judge what kind of person I am. The more you try to stop me from going to the base… the more determined I am to go. What can you possibly do about it? Come on—bite me, why don’t you!”
“You—!”
“One more word, Gu Xiaohua, and if you don’t want your brother Gu Nianchen to come back here and spend the rest of his life farming… I’d advise you to keep that foul mouth of yours shut. Otherwise—who knows what I might do next?”
Threats? Please. As if she hadn’t dealt with worse. She wasn’t the original meek, helpless village girl anymore. Xia Yuge had never been afraid of threats in her life.
“You… you wretch! How dare you speak to me like that?!” Gu Xiaohua stared, stunned.
“Who are you calling a wretch?” Xia Yuge asked calmly.
“You! Of course I mean—wait—augh… you tricked me! You little—! I’ll tear you apart!”
Gu Xiaohua lunged forward, clawing at her—but she had no idea. The old Xia Yuge might have let herself be beaten and scolded… but that girl was gone.
Slap!
A sharp, ringing sound echoed. Five bright red fingerprints bloomed instantly across Gu Xiaohua’s cheek.
Good grief. Hitting people was surprisingly tiring work.
Xia Yuge shook her stinging palm, thoroughly annoyed.
What kind of family was this? Why were they all so eager to get slapped?
“Enough. This matter is settled. From this day forward—none of you will interfere in my affairs. Especially you, Gu Xiaohua.” Gu Nianchen stepped forward, his face dark and stern.
“Exactly. No interfering. Got it?” Xia Yuge added, waving her still-numb little hand. “Or next time, it’ll be even harder.”
Seeing her utterly fearless bearing—and Gu Nianchen’s unyielding stance—the Gu family fell silent. None of them dared say another word.
It was true, then. When you stopped caring what anyone thought and stood your ground… you were unbeatable.
Watching them choke on their own words, unable to speak their minds or hurl insults—Xia Yuge felt a surge of pure, sweet satisfaction. She sauntered back inside, shut the door, and silently swore to herself: I will stand firm at that base. And I will never come back.
She hadn’t been fully confident before… but now Little Silver was with her. All she had to do was find a way to restore her soul power—and everything else would fall into place.
Hahaha!
This was wonderful! Xia Yuge could almost see a bright, beautiful future waving back at her.
This world might not be the one she came from… but here, too—she was one of a kind.
And Xia Yuge? She felt absolutely, gloriously triumphant.