A man’s rough hands brushed against her skin, igniting sparks that set her aflame.
She drifted like a small boat, rising and falling with the waves.
Suddenly, a few rooster crows broke through the scene, shattering the moment.
Ruan Tong jolted awake, her eyes landing on a set of unfamiliar, old furnishings, adorned with red paper cutouts of the character “double joy”… a bridal chamber?!
Looking down, she saw the bright red… quilt covering her?
What was going on?
Hadn’t she just finished performing surgery on a patient? How did she end up here?
Before she could think further, a flood of memories that didn’t belong to her instantly filled her mind.
She had transmigrated!
And she had traveled back to the 1980s!
For a moment, Ruan Tong felt the urge to faint on the spot.
The original Ruan Tong was a young village girl from Luoxia Village, twenty years old, who had married a young man named Gu Bai from a neighboring village just the day before.
After drinking heavily, he had been pushed into the room by the villagers, and then… sparks flew, and things spiraled out of control!
At this thought, her mind buzzed, and she abruptly sat up.
So, it wasn’t just a shameful dream?
Had she carelessly completed her first time with a “husband” she had never met before?
This was a disaster!
At this moment, Ruan Tong felt utterly devastated inside.
She glanced to the side and saw a calendar hanging on the white wall—June 10, 1986.
Before transmigrating, she had also been born on this day.
As for the 1980s, she had only heard elders talk about it—a time of scarce resources, where every household lived frugally.
Ruan Tong sighed softly.
Her current situation could be described as walking on thin ice.
“Creak—”
The sound of a door opening echoed, and Ruan Tong instinctively hugged the quilt tighter, her gaze wary as she looked toward the entrance.
A man with a limp stepped into the room, bathed in a golden glow.
Tall and slender, he carried an imposing air.
Looking up, her eyes met a face with sharp, defined features.
This was her newlywed husband, Gu Bai.
The fourth son of the old Gu family in Luoxia Village.
Ruan Tong composed herself. Since what was done was done, she might as well adapt to the situation.
“I know you didn’t want to marry me. If you wish to leave, I can take you out of the village right now,” the man’s voice was low, without a trace of the so-called local accent.
Ruan Tong was taken aback, then narrowed her eyes dangerously. What a scoundrel! After what had happened, he still had the nerve to suggest she leave!
A moment later, Ruan Tong clearly expressed her thoughts: “We’ve already registered our marriage, held the wedding, and even consummated it…” She paused briefly before raising her eyes to look at him, a hint of dissatisfaction in her gaze. “Do you think it’s appropriate for you to say that?”
The man sitting at the table lightly tapped the surface with his distinct, bony knuckles, eyeing her suspiciously upon hearing her words.
Today’s Ruan Tong seemed different, almost like a completely different person from the one who had desperately refused to marry him yesterday.
Gu Bai narrowed his eyes slightly, glancing at the girl on the bed before speaking calmly, “You should be well aware of my situation. Not only do I have a broken leg, but I also have two children to raise. With my circumstances, it truly is unfair for you to be with me.”
He paused for two seconds before continuing, “If you’re willing to live with me, I will naturally protect you and do my best to ensure you don’t suffer.”
Their marriage had been forced upon them by their parents. The original Ruan Tong hadn’t wanted to marry, and Gu Bai likely hadn’t wanted to marry her either.
Moreover, given the original Ruan Tong’s troublesome and reckless personality, even if Gu Bai didn’t show it on the surface, he probably despised her deep down.
However, his words were spoken with sincerity. He was willing to take responsibility for marrying her—a man of integrity—which eased Ruan Tong’s guarded heart somewhat.
The room fell into silence. Gu Bai glanced sideways at the girl sitting on the bed and added, “I drank too much last night. I’m sorry.”
Hearing this, Ruan Tong’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, ignoring the sudden warmth rising to her face.
Bang! Bang!
At that moment, urgent knocking sounded at the door.
“Old Fourth, Erbao’s fever has spiked again, and he’s started convulsing!”
“I’ll go check.” Gu Bai rose anxiously and limped toward the door.
“Is Erbao convulsing due to the fever?” Ruan Tong quickly asked just as his foot was about to cross the threshold.
Gu Bai paused and looked back at her. “Yes, Father has already gone to fetch the doctor.” With that, he hurried away.
Once he had completely disappeared from sight, Ruan Tong picked up her clothes and dressed quickly.
She pursed her lips, feeling thirsty.
It had been several hours since she last drank water.
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, a disposable cup appeared out of thin air in her hand, filled with clear, pure water.
The scene left her utterly bewildered.
Picking up the cup for a closer look, she found the pattern on it strangely familiar.
Wasn’t this the logo of her laboratory?
As an avid novel enthusiast, Ruan Tong immediately understood. “Could this be… what they call… a Space?”
She absolutely loved this golden finger!
To confirm her suspicion, she quickly drank the water and thought to herself, “Return the cup.”
In the next moment, the cup vanished from her hand.
How incredible!
Focusing her mind, Ruan Tong found herself standing inside the laboratory.
“Heavens, this isn’t a dream—it truly exists!”
The laboratory looked exactly as it had before, though it now appeared enclosed.
Apart from her, there was not a trace of human presence inside.
All the equipment and the pharmacy were fully stocked, and even the cafeteria was there.
Surgical instruments, medicines, and ingredients were all inexhaustible, never running out.
Seeing all this, Ruan Tong murmured, “If this is real, treating illnesses and saving lives will become much easier.”
Without wasting any time, she immediately exited the Space.
Rubbing her sore legs, Ruan Tong slowly made her way out of the room.
In the courtyard, her mother-in-law, Wu Minzhen, stood by their door, secretly wiping away tears. Beside her was a child around five years old, tugging at her clothes and eyeing Ruan Tong warily.
“Grandma, it’s the stepmother.”
Hearing Dabao’s words, Wu Minzhen quickly wiped the tears from her face and forced a smile. “Tongtong, you’re awake? It’s still early—why not sleep a little longer? You must be tired from yesterday.”
Seeing Wu Minzhen’s genuine concern, Ruan Tong offered her a gentle smile. “Mom, I’m not tired. I just heard Erbao is sick?”
“Ah, he had a high fever all last night. The village’s barefoot doctor prescribed medicine, and his fever went down a bit after taking it. But before dawn, it spiked again, and just now, he… he started convulsing…” As she spoke, Wu Minzhen’s eyes reddened again, her heart aching for Erbao.
“The priority is to bring down the fever, or it could lead to more febrile seizures.” Hearing this, Ruan Tong quickly grasped the situation and voiced her concern.
Wu Minzhen didn’t understand such professional terms and asked anxiously, “Tongtong, do you know medicine?”
Ruan Tong nodded without hesitation. “There was a very skilled barefoot doctor in our village. I studied medicine under him since I was little, but he passed away a long time ago.”
She spoke of something fabricated as if it were real, then took a pink glass bottle from her pocket—though in truth, it was retrieved from the experimental Space.