Chapter 1: Opening My Eyes to Debt Collectors

“Good heavens, the Juren’s wife has been beaten to death by you people.”

“Look, there’s a pool of blood at the back of her head; she definitely won’t survive this.”

“These debt collectors are truly heartless, killing without batting an eye. If you cross them, you’ll be lucky to escape with your life.”

“Shut your mouths, all of you! Paying back debts is only natural. We have the mortgage documents in hand; even if you take this to the magistrate, it’s useless. At most, it’ll be ruled as an accidental injury. Who told her to get in our way?”

Bai Yunxi kept her eyes closed, her brows knitted. Her ears were filled with chaotic noise—crying, shouting, and clamoring—that made her head throb with splitting pain. She snapped her eyes open.

The blinding sunlight caused another wave of dizziness, and her vision went black.

The scene before her left her dazed; she couldn't understand why she had suddenly appeared here.

Just as she tried to sit up, the world spun again. Memories that did not belong to her burrowed into her brain like a thousand insects gnawing at her, causing a splitting headache and a wave of nausea to rise in her stomach.

“Mother, you’re awake! It’s so good that you’re alright, sob, sob…”

Bai Yunxi lowered the hand she had been clutching her head with. Through a haze, she saw a thin, frail young woman crouching before her. The woman’s complexion was sallow, making her look as if she were sickly.

“Help me up.”

After catching her breath, Bai Yunxi gave the order. In her memories, this woman was the original owner’s eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Du. Because of a difficult childbirth and a lack of proper recovery, she had been sickly ever since.

Having absorbed the original owner’s memories, she just wanted to die again. A high-quality, unmarried woman had actually transmigrated, and into a rural old woman at that—skipping straight to being a grandmother.

Although she was at the top of the generational food chain, how was she supposed to play such a terrible hand?

Looking at her grown sons who were waiting eagerly for her to take charge, Bai Yunxi only felt exhausted. She had just arrived and was already being hounded for debt; what kind of sin had she committed?

Furthermore, these big, strapping sons had actually stood by and watched their mother get pushed down, completely helpless. They had grown so large for nothing.

The original owner had hit the back of her head on the ground and kicked the bucket right then and there.

“Since the Juren’s wife is fine now, shouldn’t we get down to business?”

The speaker was a middle-aged man, the manager of the Ma Family Money Shop named Zhao Li. This man was vicious and ruthless, a favorite of Squire Ma, specializing in managing high-interest loans.

Bai Yunxi looked at Zhao Li’s gloomy eyes. With one hand pinching her temple and the other gripping her daughter-in-law’s arm, she forced herself to stand. Negotiating while sitting on the ground would put her at a disadvantage in terms of presence.

“Second son, bring a chair for your mother.” A bunch of useless boys—couldn’t they see their mother couldn’t stand steady?

The second Bai son finally snapped out of his daze upon hearing his mother’s command; he had been terrified by the earlier turn of events.

“Right away!”

Zhao Li watched Bai Yunxi’s demeanor, narrowed his eyes, and snorted inwardly.

*I’d like to see what kind of tricks this old woman can pull now.*

Bai Yunxi froze when she heard this. Who was speaking?

Old woman? Was that her?

In the moment of her distraction, she heard a cry of alarm from the side.

“The Juren’s wife’s head is still bleeding! Good heavens, why hasn’t anyone gone to fetch a doctor yet?”

Following the voice, Bai Yunxi recognized the person from her memories: Auntie Hua from the same village, who was currently looking at her with a face full of terror.

*Oh my, how much blood can there be in a head? If it all drains out, can she still live?*

Bai Yunxi stared blankly. She clearly hadn’t seen Auntie Hua’s lips move.

*Oh, my goodness, why is the Juren’s wife looking at me so fiercely? It’s terrifying.*