Chapter 4: I Have Never Been This Poor

Xu Qinghuan walked through the magnificent front hall, her shadow reflected on the mirror-like floor tiles. Her skin was like snow and jade, her features as exquisite as a painting, radiant like a crabapple blossom blooming under a bright sun—delicately carved, lush, and beautiful, like the morning glow of dawn.

Arriving at the backyard, the medicinal hut was located in the northeast corner.

The cabinets against the north wall were filled with medicinal pills. In her past life, after obtaining this space, she had also attempted to practice cultivation. Unfortunately, immortality held no allure for her; she only studied the medical books and various pill formulas within the space.

It had been a great help to her medical studies.

Although there were many pills here, Xu Qinghuan did not dare to touch them lightly. The bodies of ordinary people were different from those of cultivators—far too frail. A single pill might allow a cultivator to advance their power by another level, but if an ordinary person took it, they might just ascend to a higher realm immediately.

Beside her were gourds; mountain spring water, brimming with spiritual energy, flowed through. Having just spoken until her throat was parched, Xu Qinghuan scooped up a gourd of water and drank; her spirit instantly refreshed.

The kitchen held a small amount of rice, flour, vegetables, and meat. The spiritual energy in the space was abundant; after a period of time, food brought in from the outside became similar in quality to the spiritual rice and flour originally stored here. Consequently, Xu Qinghuan had habitually begun stockpiling a bit of food.

Had she known, she would have stockpiled much more.

There was no electricity in the space, but there was earth fire, which could be used for cooking once activated. However, Xu Qinghuan had been very busy in her past life; she had no time to enter this space to experience life, so that earthen stove had likely not been lit for many years.

Fortunately, the space also had preservation and insulation effects. Whenever she bought buns, steamed mantou, or takeout meals, Xu Qinghuan would put them into the space. Over time, she had accumulated a bit of stock.

For dinner today, she had cornmeal dough lumps, a plate of boiled green vegetables, and a plate of pickled vegetables. When scooped into Xu Qinghuan's bowl, there were about two lumps the size of ox eyes. Before she could even lower her chopsticks, the vegetables had already been snatched away.

Her stomach felt as if she hadn't eaten anything at all; the hunger was painful.

Xu Qinghuan went to the kitchen first and found two meat buns on the stove. They were still scalding hot. Taking a bite, the fresh fragrance of meat filled her mouth and rolled across her tongue. Driven by hunger, Xu Qinghuan wolfed them down; a bun the size of an adult's fist was swallowed in three or four bites.

She ate too hastily and nearly choked. Xu Qinghuan hurriedly opened a bottle of mineral water and gulped a few mouthfuls. Just as she prepared to eat the other bun, she saw a box of takeout sweet osmanthus braised pork nearby.

This was something she had picked up in a single go when she went to Shandong Province on a business trip and found the braised pork at a restaurant to be delicious.

She had never had the chance to eat it until now.

Xu Qinghuan opened a box of rice—Wuchang rice, steamed so that the grains were translucent and plump. She picked up a few pieces of braised pork, poured some of the sauce over it, and mixed it. It was so fragrant she felt like she could swallow her own tongue.

After eating slowly and chewing thoroughly, Xu Qinghuan let out a burp, rubbed her stomach, and slowly walked out of the kitchen.

Rounding a white jade mountain, two cranes were preening their feathers with long beaks under the shade of the trees. Further ahead was the rear hall where she lived. Entering through the back door, there was a steaming, flowing hot spring pool.

Outside, Xu Manman was sleeping like a dead pig. Xu Qinghuan decided to go down and soak for a while to stretch her limbs and bones.

Compared to her past life, this body was incredibly weak.

In her past life, she was a third-generation wealthy heiress with massive family assets. Her parents had divorced and started new families, making her the redundant one.

To gain her parents' attention, she desperately learned various skills—equestrianism, shooting, ball games, swimming... Although she ultimately failed to gain her parents' acceptance, she gained a powerful physique and earned her grandfather's appreciation.

Before his death, her grandfather handed all his assets and family industries to her.

Before her transmigration, her assets totaled 32 billion.

At seventeen, she was admitted to medical school; at nineteen, she completed her first complex surgical operation, making a name for herself in the medical world.

At twenty-five, she became a world-renowned genius doctor, saving countless lives through a combination of Chinese and Western medical treatments.

Fortunately, she had severed her obsession with her parents early on and left a will stating that if anything happened to her, all her wealth would be donated to the state.

After all, once certain things happen, they can never be undone. Even if her parents turned back to love her, she might not be able to let it go. Since their bond was shallow, it was better for them to live well separately, strangers for the rest of their lives, with no need for lingering thoughts.

Early the next morning, Wang Mingxia called Xu Manman to their room. It was unknown what she said to Xu Manman, but when Xu Manman came out, she was overjoyed, and the look in her eyes when she saw Xu Qinghuan was filled with something eerie.

Xu Manman seemed to have lost her mind; she ate breakfast incredibly fast, then wiped her mouth and rushed out. "Mom, I have things to do, I'm leaving first!"

By the time the family finished eating, Xu Liqun and his wife, along with the eldest and second children, had all gone to work. The third child, Xu, tossed his bowl and chopsticks aside and lay down on the sofa, covering his face with a newspaper, looking utterly depressed.

No one wanted to go to the countryside. There were too many educated youths in the city and too few job positions; finding work was harder than climbing to heaven.

Xu Qinghuan tidied the dishes and went downstairs to look for work as usual. It wasn't that she wanted to stay in the city, but she had heard that job positions in this era could be sold for money.

She only had twenty-seven cents left in total; she had never been this poor.

Below the family dormitory were two rows of ping-pong tables. Xu Manman and Jiang Chengxu were standing between the two tables talking. "Brother Chengxu, the day after tomorrow is my sister's birthday. I haven't bought her a birthday gift yet. Have you prepared anything?"

"Could you help me ask around..."

Seeing Xu Qinghuan's figure, Jiang Chengxu hurriedly left Xu Manman and ran over. "Qinghuan, where are you going? Shall I take you there?"

Seeing Xu Manman following like a tail, Xu Qinghuan frowned and said impassively, "I'm looking for work. I don't need you to take me."

Jiang Chengxu was extremely distressed. "Qinghuan, it's quite hard to find work right now. If you really can't find any, just forget it. In the future... you still have me!"

Jiang Chengxu's cheeks flushed. He had come early this morning to explain things to Xu Qinghuan; after all, they were an engaged couple, and there should be a bit more trust between them.

Of course, he wouldn't hold a grudge against Xu Qinghuan; after all, she just cared about him too much.

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Xu Manman's eyes, but she quickly curled her lips into a smile. "That's right, Sister, don't be in such a rush or get worked up. You still have Brother-in-law."

Xu Qinghuan said sharply, "What nonsense are you talking about? Don't call me that blindly."

Too lazy to deal with these two and not wanting to waste time, she walked away.

Just as Jiang Chengxu was about to chase after her, Xu Manman pulled at his sleeve again. "Brother Chengxu, did I say something wrong? You two are engaged; is it wrong for me to call you Brother-in-law?"

A hint of impatience appeared between Jiang Chengxu's brows. "Manman, if you want to call me Brother-in-law, wait until after your sister and I are married!"

As he finished speaking, he jerked his sleeve away. Xu Manman fell to the side, her head striking the ping-pong table, and blood began to flow profusely on the spot.

"Ah!" Xu Manman closed her eyes and fainted.

Jiang Chengxu was completely stunned, but there was no time to think. He scooped up Xu Manman and rushed out of the residential compound, not noticing at all that Xu Manman opened her eyes halfway and shot him a sidelong glance.

By this time, Xu Qinghuan had already turned right after exiting the compound gate. After walking a short distance, she saw Jiang Chengxu rushing out like a gust of wind, carrying Xu Manman.

"Qinghuan, Manman fell! Quickly, go push my bicycle out, we need to take her to the hospital!" Seeing Xu Qinghuan, Jiang Chengxu looked as if he had seen a life-saving straw.

(End of Chapter)