Chapter 1: Losing Face, Being Seen Completely

Inside the capital of Nanzhao, the streets bustled with carriages and horses, teeming with crowds of people. The vendors' penetrating cries echoed along the thoroughfares.

Yet, right in the middle of this busy marketplace, a scene played out that was utterly incongruous. In a wall corner, several children surrounded a little beggar. The little beggar lay on the ground, motionless. The children hopped and jumped around him, chanting a nursery rhyme: "Little beggar, little beggar, smelly beggar, dirty beggar."

At that moment, the fingers of the little beggar lying on the ground seemed to twitch. Then, the little beggar abruptly opened his eyes and sat up. The children surrounding him were so frightened by his sudden movement that they fell on the spot, then scrambled to their feet and ran away as fast as they could.

Su Jin snapped her eyes open, feeling an aching pain all over her body. What was going on? Wasn't she hugging a pillow sleeping at home? And where was this? Su Jin looked around and discovered the surroundings were full of ancient architecture. The streets were extraordinarily lively, crowds interweaving, vendors' cries rising and falling in succession.

Su Jin discovered another crucial problem! That was—these people were all wearing ancient costumes! Ancient costumes! Heavens, no way? Had she transmigrated?

Su Jin lifted "her" filthy hands. Oh my god! These were completely the hands of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old child! She really had transmigrated! And these clothes—they were practically identical to a beggar's!

Beggar! "Boom." Su Jin felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Su Jin tremblingly reached up to touch her hair. The moment her hand touched her hair, Su Jin truly wanted to cry but had no tears!

She had actually transmigrated into a beggar! Unprecedented in history! Others transmigrated into trash, concubine-born daughters, crown princes, or tragic little figures with deep hatred. She had actually transmigrated into a beggar!!!

My heavens! Don't play like this! I, Su Jin, have burned high incense for you! How can you take the money and not do the job? At least make me a courtesan or something!

Though Su Jin wanted to cry in her heart, she had to survive in this strange world! Su Jin lifted her hand and sniffed. That smell... tsk tsk, truly unparalleled! Never mind that for now. First, find a place to wash up. Wash? Where to wash? There must be a small river outside the city! Then let's go outside the city!

Su Jin followed the flow of people leaving the city to the outskirts. She sneaked into a farmstead and stole a set of clothes worn by a thirteen or fourteen-year-old. Once she had the clothes, Su Jin hurried to the riverbank. In a few quick moves, she stripped off the rags on her body and jumped into the creek with a "plop," happily bathing.

"Thump thump." Su Jin was washing away happily in the water when she suddenly noticed someone walking this way. Su Jin hurriedly took a deep breath and slowly submerged herself underwater to hide. Su Jin was secretly alarmed. Fortunately, back in modern times, she often went swimming and diving in the summer. Otherwise, she would have been seen stark naked right now.

Although this body was only thirteen or fourteen and just starting to develop, with nothing much to see, Su Jin still didn't want to be seen naked on her very first day of transmigrating!

Just as Su Jin was about to run out of air, she suddenly discovered that the person approaching hadn't left—and had actually gotten into the water! What to do now? She couldn't hold her breath any longer! Why not take advantage of being at the river bottom to swim away?

Right! Do just that! Su Jin decided to secretly swim forward. Good thing! Ancient water wasn't polluted by factories and was relatively clear. "Relatively clear?" Those four words instantly struck Su Jin. Just as Su Jin's head was in a muddle, she was directly lifted out of the water by someone.

"Speak. Who sent you to assassinate this King?" A cold voice came from above.

"Ah, pervert!" Su Jin hurriedly covered her vital parts. The man obviously hadn't expected this situation either; he froze for a moment, his hand pausing.

"Splash." Su Jin was dropped straight back into the water, instantly kicking up a large spray.

A mocking, sharp voice came from above again. "Assassination failed, so now you're switching to seduction? Go back and tell your master that with that figure of yours, this King isn't interested. Tell your master to send someone with a better figure next time."

Hearing this, Su Jin's anger flared up instantly! How did taking a bath turn into an assassination attempt? Who had she offended? Su Jin poked her head out of the water, wiped the water off her face with her hand, and shouted angrily, "Who wants to assassinate you? With that figure of yours, I'm not interested either. Narcissist! I was just here taking a bath. You showed up later, and you say I'm assassinating you? You haven't explained why you're spying on me!"

After wiping the water off her face, Su Jin looked up and saw the man's face. She was instantly stunned. A fair, clean face with distinct, cold, handsome features. Deep black eyes emitted a chill that kept people a thousand miles away. Wet black hair clung tightly to fair skin. What a stunning picture of a beauty emerging from the bath! Seeing such a sight, Su Jin felt quite embarrassed. Her "flower-crazy" disease acted up again.

Seeing Su Jin's infatuated look, the man's pitch-black pupils shot out a cold glint. His whole body radiated a terrifying cold aura. His tone was icy. "Seen enough?"

Su Jin snapped back to her senses at the man's shout. Her face flushed red as a monkey's butt. She cursed herself inwardly. Su Jin, oh Su Jin! How can you be so spineless? You see a handsome man and your flower-crazy disease acts up?

But... she had just transmigrated and this guy had seen her naked... But he really is handsome! Seems like I came out ahead! Su Jin gloated inwardly, chuckling softly a few times. Then she lifted her head and looked at the serious-faced man. "Who looked at you? Narcissist! Turn around. I need to get ashore and dress."

Zhongli Luo felt the girl before him, with her messy hair, pouting lips, and puffed-up angry look, was actually quite cute. Cute? Zhongli Luo was stunned by the appearance of those two words in his mind. How could those two words appear for no reason? Zhongli Luo glanced sideways at Su Jin's thin, small frame and teased, "With that little body of yours, this King wouldn't even want to look."

Having said that, Zhongli Luo turned his body, facing away from Su Jin. "I've turned around. You hurry up and get dressed."

Seeing Zhongli Luo really turn around, Su Jin immediately scrambled ashore quickly. She exerted all her strength to put on these ragged clothes! Ancient clothes are so troublesome! After dressing, Su Jin admired herself a couple of times, then spun around in a circle, looking at her clothes with a face full of smiles.

Zhongli Luo waited for a long time but didn't hear Su Jin say she was done. He turned his head and saw Su Jin spinning around happily, admiring her own clothes. The corners of Zhongli Luo's mouth twitched a few times. In his eyes, these clothes were the most worthless things, yet this woman treated them like treasure. "Just a few pieces of rags. What's there to look at?"

Hearing Zhongli Luo's words, Su Jin's explosive temper shot straight to her forehead! He actually dared call her clothes rags! Su Jin was about to unleash her "Lion's Roar of the East River," but her eyes unintentionally swept to the side and saw Zhongli Luo's clothes placed to one side. A flash of inspiration struck her brain, and a plan instantly formed! Let's see you act smug now!

Zhongli Luo saw Su Jin suddenly go silent and walk step by step toward his clothes. A bad premonition instantly rose in his heart. The next second, his bad premonition was confirmed. He saw Su Jin pick up his clothes, look them over, and say, "Then your clothes aren't rags."

Damn it! This woman actually dared to set her sights on his clothes! There was an important letter inside! This dead woman! Zhongli Luo wanted to rush up and give Su Jin a good beating, but he wasn't wearing clothes and couldn't get ashore. He could only stare fiercely at Su Jin and roar angrily, "You put that down for this King!"

Seeing the man couldn't come ashore without clothes, Su Jin became arrogant. Hands on hips, looking like a landlady, she said, "You tell me to put it down and I'll put it down? You scolded my clothes as rags, called me an assassin, and saw this Miss's body naked. Do you really think this Miss is easy to bully?"

Su Jin fished a money pouch out of Zhongli Luo's clothes. She weighed it in her hand—it was heavy. There seemed to be quite a bit of silver inside. "Hmm, there's some silver. I'll take this money, okay?"

Zhongli Luo looked at Su Jin on the shore with gritted teeth! This dead woman actually dared to steal his things! "You little thief!"

"Who says I'm a thief? You're the one who looked at my body. This counts as compensation. Alright! You just stay in the river. Bye-bye!" Finished speaking, Su Jin hugged Zhongli Luo's clothes and walked away.

Seeing Su Jin was soft but not hard, and watching her leave, Zhongli Luo thought: If this woman leaves, won't I have to stay in this river until evening before I can leave? No! I still have important business. How can I waste time here? Zhongli Luo gritted his teeth and lowered his tone. "You can take the money, but leave the clothes for me."

"If I leave the clothes, won't you have clothes to wear? Once you have clothes, won't you just chase me down and send me to the authorities? I, Su Jin, am not that stupid!" Su Jin hurriedly covered her mouth. Damn it! She actually blurted out her own name in a moment of verbal sparring!

Zhongli Luo watched Su Jin leave with his clothes, gnashing his teeth, but helpless. "Su Jin, is it? This King will remember you."

"I... I'm not Su Jin. You misheard. You misheard!" Su Jin hurriedly hugged Zhongli Luo's clothes and ran. She found a hidden spot, confirmed there was nothing inside the clothes, and threw Zhongli Luo's clothes away.

Later, Su Jin thought again: These clothes look quite expensive. What a waste to throw them away. What if I transmigrate back someday? These would be antiques. Su Jin hurriedly picked the clothes back up.

Holding them in her arms, she entered the city, planning to find a place to eat. Speaking of eating, back in the 21st century, didn't she spend her days doing nothing but playing online games and studying recipes? She could work as a cook in a restaurant to earn money! Thinking of this, Su Jin quickened her pace into the city.

She found a restaurant with not-so-good business. Su Jin walked down the main street looking for a suitable place. The three characters "Qin Xiang Ju" (Fragrant Qin Residence) appeared before Su Jin's eyes. There weren't many people going in or out. This one would do. Su Jin locked onto her target, lifted her foot, and walked into Qin Xiang Ju. Her front foot had just stepped through the door, her back foot hadn't even entered yet, when she was kicked out.