Chapter 1: Died from Overwork and Transmigrated

Chapter 1: Death from Overwork—Transmigrated

After midday, in Tong Family Village, the home of Old Master Tong Yongzhi was enveloped in an atmosphere of sorrow.

"An'nian, my daughter, wake up. Please don't sleep; Mother cannot lose you."

The sound of a woman’s weeping drifted out from a room, sounding so heart-wrenching to everyone who heard it that the thin, frail little girl on the bed felt her fingers twitch slightly.

She struggled to open her eyes. Everything before her was blurry, and coupled with a splitting headache, memories that did not belong to her flooded into her mind. It took her a good while to adapt and see the situation clearly.

She had truly transmigrated. Because of death from overwork, she had transmigrated into this ancient era she had never heard of, and had become a four-year-old little girl.

The original owner’s mother, Ning Qingqiu, was slumped over the bedside, holding her and wailing. Behind her stood several people. The light was somewhat dim, and Tong An'nian could not clearly see their expressions, but she knew these were the original owner’s relatives, and now, her own relatives as well.

The original owner was named Tong An'nian, the only girl of the third generation in Old Master Tong’s family. Although all the elders and youngsters in the family doted on her, she had been born with a weak constitution and had been in poor health ever since, never without medicinal soups.

In fact, most of the time, she could only spend her days in bed, only occasionally being able to get up and move around.

This sudden illness was caused by someone deliberately tricking her to the riverbank, and then, someone—she didn't know who—pushed her into the river from behind.

Already frail, she had caught a chill and inhaled water. After running a high fever for several days, the original owner hadn't pulled through. By the time this body opened its eyes again, the soul inside had changed.

However, the original owner was only a four-year-old child. Who could hold such deep hatred for her that they would push her into the river to drown?

"My daughter!" Ning Qingqiu could no longer hold back, and she burst into heart-rending sobs.

"Cough, cough... Mother... don't cry..."

Tong An'nian gritted her teeth and spoke. Her voice was weak and powerless, as faint as a mosquito, but it was still heard by Ning Qingqiu, whose heart was tied to her daughter.

"...Nian-bao'er... is that you speaking?"

Ning Qingqiu looked up cautiously, thinking she was hallucinating.

"Mother!" She called out "Mother" with great effort, struggling to pull off a smile.

"Nian... Nian-bao'er... wuwuwu... you’re awake..."

Ning Qingqiu’s voice was choked with tears, gasping for breath.

"Nian-bao'er, is there anywhere else on your body that feels uncomfortable? Tell Grandma." Old Madam Tong sat by the bed, looking at Tong An'nian’s thin, sallow little face with heartache.

"Grandma..." Tong An'nian tilted her weak little face, putting on what she considered her sweetest smile as she looked at her.

But no matter how sweet the smile was, she was simply too weak. That frail appearance made Old Madam Tong ache with pity.

This child had suffered since birth. Letting her go might have been a release, but how could they bear to let her go?

Tong An'nian looked at the room full of people fussing over her, her gaze lingering on the face of a woman in her thirties. This woman was the original owner’s eldest aunt—Zhao Cuifen.

As for why she noticed her, it was because her expression was somewhat intriguing.

When the others saw Tong An'nian wake up, they were all happy and excited. Only her eyes held a trace of panic, and the smile on her face was somewhat stiff, as if she hadn't expected Tong An'nian to be able to wake up.

In the original owner’s final memories, besides the sudden push into the river and the terror of water filling her nose and mouth as she struggled, the only impression she had was of a figure hurrying away—a figure that was exceptionally familiar.

Moreover, the build was somewhat similar to this so-called eldest aunt before her. It was very likely that the person who pushed the original owner into the water was her.

Perhaps sensing Tong An'nian’s gaze, Zhao Cuifen looked up. Tong An'nian’s eyes were very clear, yet deep, staring at her without blinking, as if she could see right through a person at a glance.

She felt a jolt of alarm. Could it be that what she had done had been discovered by Tong An'nian?

Old Master Tong: Tong Yongzhi, Old Madam Tong: Lü Lanzhi.

First Branch: Tong Zhengye, Zhao Cuifen.

Second Branch: Tong Zhenjie, Xie Chunxiang.

Third Branch: Tong Zhengyang, Ning Qingqiu.

Fourth Branch: Tong Zhengping, Song Yu.

Children of the First Branch: Tong Anqi (eldest, 13), Tong Anxiang (third, 10), Tong Anxin (fourth, 8).

Child of the Second Branch: Tong Anhe (second, 11).

Child of the Third Branch: Tong An'nian (seventh, 4).

Children of the Fourth Branch: Tong Ankang (fifth, 5), Tong Anle (sixth, 5).

(End of chapter)