Chapter 1: A Long and Arduous Journey to Find Father

"This little girl is really chubby."

"It’s good to be chubby, look at her tender skin!"

"She’s so pretty, just like a newborn puppy..."

"Nonsense, she’s much sturdier than a puppy!"

"..."

Ye Qianning woke up amidst the noisy bickering. Enduring the throbbing pain in her head, she propped herself up to a sitting position.

She then glared at the few flying insects chattering away in front of her. Although she could understand the voices of animals, she was truly tired of being scolded by them—

She raised her hand to shoo them away. Who looked like a puppy!

*Creeak.* The door was pushed open from the outside.

"Fatty, why are you up?" The old woman hurried to the bedside and reached out to touch her forehead. "The fever has broken, but you’re still sweating. Lie back down quickly, don't catch a draft."

Fatty...

Ye Qianning obediently lay back down, still unable to get used to the name.

The old woman tucked the thin quilt around her and said, "Someone from the magistrate's office came today to take the jade pendant. They said they’ve already found your father and need the pendant for identification. In a few days, your father might come to take you back to the manor."

Ye Qianning had been transmigrated for three days now. Her current body was a six-year-old little fatty, and she possessed all the memories of the original owner.

Before the original owner's mother passed away, she told her that her father was a nobleman in the Imperial City and left behind a jade pendant as a token.

Granny Si had brought her wandering for over a year, traveling thousands of miles from Nanyuan to the Imperial City. Unfortunately, the little girl had died without ever seeing the father she longed for.

"I'll go brew some more medicine for you in a bit," Granny Si said, stroking her pale cheeks with a pained expression. "You’ve suffered so much, but our Fatty’s good days are all ahead of her."

"Granny Si, what if Father doesn't like me?" Ye Qianning’s voice was soft and sweet.

If it weren't for the original owner's dying wish to find her father, she wouldn't have waited here for three days.

"Nonsense, what father doesn't like his own child?" Granny Si comforted her softly.

Ye Qianning gripped the quilt with her chubby little hands and sighed inwardly. Granny Si was a simple village woman; she didn't understand the schemes and deceit of the Imperial City.

The nobleman in the Imperial City likely held a significant status. She had seen that jade pendant; the quality was exceptional, far beyond what an ordinary wealthy family could afford.

Therefore, she deduced that he was either a royal or a high-ranking official. A wealthy young master having a one-night stand—who would remember that?

Furthermore, seven years had passed. That person might be in a high position now, and a sudden illegitimate daughter appearing would be a scandal of no small consequence.

Great families valued bloodlines highly. If they encountered someone ruthless, there was no guarantee that she and Granny Si wouldn't be silenced.

Seeing her silent, Granny Si reached out and gently pinched her chubby little face. "Don't let your imagination run wild. Just focus on getting better, and we’ll go see your father in good health."

"Mm..." Ye Qianning replied.

Granny Si tucked the quilt in and smiled. "That’s a good girl. Sleep a little longer, I’m going to brew your medicine."

Ye Qianning watched her leave. She wanted nothing more than to tell Granny Si to run, but she knew that unless Granny Si saw the other party's true colors for herself, she would never leave.

Therefore, she had to recover her strength as soon as possible. If that so-called father had any malicious intentions, she would certainly teach him a lesson before taking Granny Si away from the Imperial City.

Come to think of it, the illness in this body was strange. Her head felt like it was splitting, yet her pulse showed no symptoms other than weakness.

She considered herself quite skilled in medicine, but after studying it for two days, she hadn't found the root of the problem. It wasn't until last night that she discovered something bizarre.

A birthmark!

There was a butterfly-shaped birthmark on her left arm. It had burned with intense heat on the day she transmigrated, but she hadn't paid much attention to it at the time.

She stretched out her left arm and stared at the birthmark. Suddenly, the mark emitted a faint glow. As her fingers entered the circle of light, her entire being was transported into an endless, vast space.

(End of chapter)