In the height of summer, the blazing sun scorched the earth. Willow branches brushed the surface of the water, ripples spreading in the waves of heat.
“Ugh!”
Sheng Jinhe lay sprawled on the scorching ground. As she struggled to prop herself up, a sharp headache struck, making her suck in a breath of pain. After taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, she supported herself against a large tree and finally managed to stand. When she looked up, she saw that just a step away was a city moat that looked quite deep.
She clearly remembered landing safely on the helipad at her home. Could it be that when she stepped off the plane, she somehow ended up in this unfamiliar place? Even novels wouldn’t dare write something this absurd.
Despite having seen plenty in life, she couldn’t help feeling alarmed. She scanned her surroundings cautiously—then caught a faint scent of blood in the air.
Walking around to the other side of the tree, she saw that not far away, sitting on a half-meter-high rock with his back to her, was a man with his upper body bare.
Sheng Jinhe subconsciously swallowed.
This man looked dangerous… but he had flavor.
The muscles on his back were firm and well-defined. The lines of his body instinctively reminded her of a cheetah running through the jungle—full of a uniquely masculine charm. The various knife and gun scars of different depths only added to the wildness and sense of power. Clearly, his identity wasn’t ordinary.
At that moment, he had his head lowered, focused on treating a wound on his side. As he raised his arm, the muscles there became even more striking. The source of the bloody scent was obviously him.
Sheng Jinhe felt puzzled. Her unusually sharp sense of smell and sight had always been a secret very few people knew. How did this body also have them? What was going on?
At this distance, an ordinary person definitely wouldn’t see so clearly, which was why the man hadn’t noticed someone behind him.
Even though she didn’t know who he was, the fact that he was still alive despite such injuries showed that he must be both vigilant and highly skilled.
Just as she was still confused, her mind was suddenly flooded with a massive amount of memories that did not belong to her. Her body instantly lost strength, and with a startled cry, she slipped and fell straight into the moat.
Splash!
After falling into the water, Sheng Jinhe actually felt her mind become much clearer.
She… had transmigrated into a novel!
It was one she vaguely knew—her best friend had enthusiastically forced her to read it, and she occasionally skimmed a few chapters to pass the time.
But while other people transmigrated into empresses, princesses, or rich heiresses—at worst becoming some cherished “white moonlight” protected by everyone—she had become the male lead’s cannon-fodder fiancée. Worse still, she existed only as part of the male and female leads’ romantic plot.
How infuriating!
The female lead had no job, so this original body stupidly offered hers. The female lead then transformed herself into a respectable working woman.
The female lead had no cheat ability, so this foolish girl eagerly handed over her own golden finger. Then the female lead used a spatial ability to make huge profits.
Even though the male lead already had a fiancée, he fell for the female lead. The original host enthusiastically planned a “hero saves beauty” scene by staging a drowning incident.
Except she ended up losing her life instead.
Well, great—now the two of them could be together openly and properly.
Maybe on some night, they’d even sigh sentimentally to each other: Sheng Jinhe’s death is regrettable, but it brought us together. Perhaps it’s a kind of virtue.
Bah!
Sheng Jinhe stared at the sky speechlessly. There must be the words “Ultimate Sucker” carved across her forehead!
Other than that useless fiancé, she was taking everything back.
As for fighting over a man?
What man could compare to building a career!
Since she had become Sheng Jinhe in this poor, backward 1970s era, then things would be done her way.
Otherwise—forget it. Let the whole world burn.
The moment this thought appeared, the suffocating sensation of drowning tightened around her like an invisible hand, making every breath painfully difficult. She could clearly feel her life slipping away.
Was she going to die?
No, absolutely not. Whether she had transmigrated into a novel or into water, dying was out of the question. Besides, novels always said that once you crossed over, you couldn’t go back. If she died here, wouldn’t that be dying for nothing?
Then she remembered—she could swim.
But right now, her limbs couldn’t keep up with her thoughts. Her arms and legs were stiff, and her body kept sinking. Still, she refused to give up. Just as she prepared to save herself, another familiar splash sounded.
A few seconds later, a scorching, firm arm wrapped around her waist.
Sheng Jinhe didn’t want to admit it—even at a life-and-death moment—but the touch instantly reminded her of that man’s arm.
Could it really be him?
She had been about to struggle in panic, but when she opened her eyes and turned her head to see his face, it matched almost exactly what she had imagined.
His features were striking—handsome in a hard, rugged way. Water droplets slid down from his short buzz cut, making her heart flutter.
His lips were tightly pressed, sword-like brows slightly furrowed. With one hand he cut through the water, swimming toward the bank, his entire demeanor cold and composed.
Sheng Jinhe instantly relaxed all the strength in her body. She closed her eyes and leaned completely against him, letting him hold her.
The burning warmth of his body, the contrast of soft and hard—
For someone who had never sought security from others, she felt strangely safe.
It must be this body’s influence.
She really was craving his body!
“Comrade! Comrade! Wake up—how are you?”
The man’s deep voice, tinged with urgency, sounded beside her ear. She was conscious, but her body wouldn’t cooperate. Her eyelids were heavy, her mouth wouldn’t open, and she couldn’t answer.
“Sorry, I need to perform first aid.”
Seeing her condition worsen, the man politely warned her before beginning artificial respiration and CPR.
“Mmm…”
Sheng Jinhe instinctively bit down on the man’s slightly cool lips. Realizing what she had done, she quickly let go.
“S-sorry… and thank you.”
“We’re not up on the bank yet. It’s a bit high. Can you climb?”
The man didn’t mind and calmly explained the situation.
Only then did Sheng Jinhe realize they were standing in a narrow ledge, still about one and a half meters below the ground.
Before she could reply, hurried footsteps and voices came from nearby.
“Jinhe! Jinhe! Where are you?”
“She couldn’t have fallen in and sunk to the bottom, right?”
“Ah! What should we do? How could you let her come here alone?”
Her childhood friends.
Had the male and female leads already called people over?
They had agreed beforehand—once the time came, the leads would bring people to witness the scene, forcing the fiancé to break off the engagement.
But what they didn’t expect was that Sheng Jinhe had collapsed from heatstroke. When she woke, she—the new Sheng Jinhe—had already arrived, fallen into the water early, and been rescued.
“At this height, I definitely can’t climb up. Can you carry me on your back?”
“I don’t want them to see me like this.”
Sheng Jinhe’s features were bright and striking. Her skin was smooth like jade. Her hair clung wetly to her face, and the thin fabric of her clothes was soaked, sticking tightly to her body and outlining perfect curves. When she spoke, her voice softened slightly.
The man glanced at her briefly, then immediately looked away.
“…Alright.”
There were men among the approaching group. It really wouldn’t be appropriate.
He helped her stand and then crouched down.
“Climb on and hold my shoulders tightly. I’ll carry you up.”
Sheng Jinhe didn’t hesitate for even a second—it would have been disrespectful to this back she had already been coveting for so long.
When her soft, full chest pressed against his muscular back, all kinds of mosaic-level images flashed through her mind.
In just a move or two, the man smoothly brought her up to the ground—agile as a cheetah.
Then he quickly found a blind corner and set her down.
“Your wound—”
“You’re fine now. I’m leaving. They won’t find this place for a while. Clean yourself up before going out.”
They spoke at the same time. After finishing his sentence, the man quickly turned and left, giving Sheng Jinhe no chance to say anything more.