Xu Qinghuan walked through the grand front hall, her reflection cast on the mirror-like tiles, her snow-white skin and jade-like appearance, her eyebrows and eyes picturesque, her beauty as dazzling as a West Mansion Begonia blooming under the bright sun, exquisitely carved and beautifully delicate, as vibrant as the morning glow.
She reached the backyard, where the medicinal hut was in the northeast corner.
The cabinet against the north wall was filled with elixirs. In her past life, after acquiring this space, she had tried cultivating immortality, but the idea of eternal life held no allure for her. She only studied the medical books and some elixir formulas within the space.
They greatly enhanced her medical studies.
Although there were many elixirs here, Xu Qinghuan dared not use them easily. Ordinary people's bodies were different from cultivators'—far too fragile. A single elixir that might enhance a cultivator's power could likely cause an ordinary person to ascend directly.
Beside her, a gourd ladle trickled with spiritual energy-infused mountain spring water. Parched from speaking, Xu Qinghuan scooped a ladleful to drink, feeling invigorated.
The rear kitchen contained a small amount of rice, flour, vegetables, and meat. The space was rich with spiritual energy, and food brought in from outside would, over time, have effects comparable to the spirit rice and spirit flour originally stored here. Xu Qinghuan had a habit of stocking up a little here.
If she had known earlier, she would have stocked up more.
There was no electricity in the space, but there was ground fire, which could be used for cooking once activated. However, Xu Qinghuan had been very busy in her past life and didn't have time to experience life in this space, so the stove had gone unused for who knows how many years.
Fortunately, the space also had preservation and warming functions. When she bought buns and steamed breads or packed meals, Xu Qinghuan would store them here, accumulating a small stock over time.
For dinner tonight, she ate cornmeal dumplings, a plate of boiled greens, and a plate of pickled vegetables. With about two dumplings the size of cow's eyes in her bowl, she hadn't even started eating when the greens were snatched away.
Her stomach still felt empty, as if she hadn't eaten, leaving her unbearably hungry.
Xu Qinghuan first went to the rear kitchen, where she found two meat buns on the stove—still steaming hot. Taking a bite, the savory taste of the meat filled her mouth, rolling over her tongue. Driven by hunger, Xu Qinghuan wolfed down a bun the size of an adult's fist in just three or four bites.
Eating too quickly, she almost choked, quickly opened a bottle of mineral water, and gulped down a few mouthfuls before preparing to eat the other bun. Beside her was a box of osmanthus braised pork.
She had bought it in Lu Province during a business trip, when she found the braised pork so delicious that she packed three servings at once.
Yet, she never had the opportunity to eat it.
Xu Qinghuan opened a box of rice, steamed from Wuchang Rice, with every grain glistening and full. She grabbed a few pieces of braised pork, drizzled some sauce over it, and mixed it all together, the resulting aroma nearly enough to make her swallow her tongue.
Savoring bite by bite until she finished, Xu Qinghuan let out a satisfied burp, rubbed her belly, and leisurely stepped out of the kitchen.
Circling around White Jade Mountain, two celestial cranes were grooming their feathers under the shade of trees. Further ahead was her residence in the rear hall, accessible through the back door, led to a mist-covered, living hot spring pool.
Outside, Xu Manman was sleeping like a dead pig. Xu Qinghuan decided to take a soak to stretch her muscles and bones.
This body was much weaker compared to her past life.
In her past life, she was a third-generation rich, with a family fortune and her parents divorced, each remarrying, leaving her the unnecessary one.
To gain her parents' attention, she threw herself into learning various skills: equestrianism, shooting, ball games, swimming... Though she never managed to earn her parents' acceptance, she developed strong physical abilities and earned her grandfather's appreciation.
Before he passed away, her grandfather entrusted her with his assets and family businesses.
Before she transmigrated, her assets amounted to 32 billion.
She entered Medical University at 17, performed her first complex surgery at 19, and made a name for herself in the medical community.
By 25, she became a renowned genius Divine Doctor domestically and internationally, saving countless lives with her integrated Chinese and Western medical approaches.
Fortunately, she had long let go of her obsession with her parents and made a will to donate all her wealth to the country if anything happened to her.
After all, some things, once they occur, cannot be undone. Even if her parents turned back to love her, she might not be able to forgive them. Since their connection was shallow, it was better to wish each other well and never look back in this life, so there was no need for attachment.
The next morning, Wang Mingxia called Xu Manman into their room. Nobody knew what was said, but Xu Manman came out overjoyed, her gaze at Xu Qinghuan filled with an oddity.
Xu Manman, consumed by some frenzy, finished breakfast rapidly, wiped her mouth, and dashed out, "Mom, I have something to do, I'm leaving first!"
After the family finished eating, Xu Liqun and his wife, along with the eldest and the second, all went to work. The third son tossed the dishes and lay on the sofa chair, covering his face with a newspaper, looking utterly distressed.
No one wanted to go to the countryside. There were too many intellectual youths in the city, and too few job positions; finding a job was harder than climbing to the sky.
Xu Qinghuan cleaned the dishes and went downstairs, intending to look for work as usual. It wasn't that she wanted to stay in the city, but because she heard that jobs of this era could be sold for money.
She only had twenty-seven cents in hand and had never been this poor before.
Downstairs in the family building were two rows of ping pong tables, and Xu Manman was standing between them talking to Jiang Chengxu, "Chengxu bro, my sister's birthday is the day after tomorrow, and I still haven't bought her a birthday gift yet. Have you prepared anything?"
"Could you help me find out..."
Seeing Xu Qinghuan's figure, Jiang Chengxu immediately left Xu Manman and ran over, "Qinghuan, where are you going? I'll take you there?"
Seeing Xu Manman following like a tail, Xu Qinghuan frowned slightly but remained calm, saying, "I'm going to look for a job, no need for you to take me."
Jiang Chengxu looked heartbroken, "Qinghuan, finding a job is quite difficult now. If you really can't find one, just forget it. In the future... you'll still have me!"
Jiang Chengxu's cheeks turned red. He had come early in the morning to explain to Xu Qinghuan, as they were, after all, an engaged couple and should trust each other more.
Of course, he wouldn't hold grudges against Xu Qinghuan, as she just cared too much for him.
A glimmer of malice flashed in Xu Manman's eyes, but she quickly curved her lips and smiled, "Yes, Sis, don't get worried or anxious. You still have your brother-in-law."
Xu Qinghuan said sharply, "What nonsense are you talking? Don't shout nonsense."
Unwilling to deal with the two, not wanting to waste time, she just walked away.
Just as Jiang Chengxu was about to follow, Xu Manman grabbed his sleeve, "Chengxu bro, did I say something wrong? You've already got engaged. Isn't it okay if I call you brother-in-law?"
Jiang Chengxu's brow furrowed with a hint of impatience, "Manman, if you want to call me brother-in-law, wait until after your sister and I get married."
With that, he shook off her sleeve. Xu Manman staggered sideways, hitting her head on the ping pong table, and blood gushed out on the spot.
"Ah!" Xu Manman closed her eyes and fainted.
Jiang Chengxu was utterly bewildered, but there was no time to think. He picked up Xu Manman and rushed out of the family compound, not noticing that Xu Manman had opened her eyes halfway, casting a sidelong glance at him.
Meanwhile, Xu Qinghuan had already stepped out of the family compound, turned right, and hadn't walked far when she saw Jiang Chengxu carrying Xu Manman, racing out like a gust of wind.
"Qinghuan, Manman fell, please get my bicycle out, we'll take her to the hospital." Jiang Chengxu, upon seeing Xu Qinghuan, seemed to see a lifesaver.