Chapter 2: Daily Life

Tan You followed instructions to the letter, quickly reading through the entire task description. However, she didn't understand: "System, how am I supposed to complete the task?"

Tan You felt the system pause for a moment: "Once the host is prepared, tell the system, and the system will transport you into the task. At that point, you will become the client and will live out the client's life, whether it be long or short."

Tan You thought for a moment, trying to use her limited experience to interpret these words: "Is it like a character in a TV show? Once I become her, what will I do?"

System: "That is more or less the meaning."

Tan You still had questions: "But you just said it's not me going over physically, so how do I go? Can I still come back?"

System: "The system will transfer the host's soul into the client. No matter how long the host spends there, in the real world, it will only be an instant."

Tan You was amazed: "Then... doesn't that mean I have a lot of time? Immortality?"

System: "In a sense, you could say that, but a friendly reminder: the host should be careful during the task. Once the host perishes in the task world, it will also affect your body in reality."

Tan You nodded: "I understand. I won't go now. I'm not ready yet, and it's not convenient for me to go right now."

The system didn't rush her: "That's fine, but is there anything else you need to do now?"

Tan You felt embarrassed: "Mom and Dad are going to C Province to work tomorrow, and I want to wait until they leave before I start the task. Besides, I want to study the task more carefully; I want to do my best. It's within three days, right? I just need to start within three days."

The system understood: "Fine, then we'll wait until you're ready."

Tan You: "System, you're the best. I just want to earn more energy so I can increase my intelligence stat."

The system shifted. The senior systems on the forum all said that hosts were particularly good at oppressing their systems, so why was the host it encountered so easy to coax? Whatever it said, she just went along with it?

Thinking of this, the little system felt proud. Well, for the sake of such an obedient host, it would also try its best to help her!

As the two talked, Tan You was no longer sleepy. It was as if she had found a new toy, and she studied the first task over and over again.

It wasn't until around five in the morning that Tan You had thoroughly studied the first client's experiences. Having gone over it dozens of times, she had a rough idea of what she should do when she arrived in that world.

She wanted to discuss these things with the system, but while other things were fine, once it involved the task, the system couldn't say anything, repeating only one line: "Please have the host complete the task independently."

At that time, Tan You didn't realize that her little system, which had fallen from the sky, was just a little useless. Perhaps it was precisely because she didn't know that she felt this was normal. Relying on herself meant relying on herself; couldn't she just work harder?

With the task on her mind, she heard movement in the room to the west and quickly knelt back down on the cushion. Cheng Wenhui pushed the door open and, seeing Tan You kneeling properly, nodded in satisfaction.

"Get up. Wash your face and go do the laundry."

Tan You stood up immediately. Without saying anything to Cheng Wenhui, she walked to the well and skillfully drew water, added detergent, and began washing. These were chores she was used to, and her movements were clearly practiced.

Children in the countryside almost all grew up doing these things: raising chickens, feeding ducks, cooking, washing clothes, and doing housework. Tan You had done these things since she was little and didn't resist. If she resisted, she would only end up with a reputation for being lazy.

Cheng Wenhui wasn't idle either; she went to the kitchen to cook. Summer breakfast was easy to make—boil a big pot of porridge and make a few pancakes, and it could last from morning until night.

But that was only if the weather was decent; if it were too hot, the breakfast made in the morning would spoil by mid-afternoon. The Tan family was a destitute household in the village; they didn't have major appliances like refrigerators or washing machines.

Tan You squatted by the well, scrubbing away at a large basin of clothes—her parents' and her sister's. She had been punished with kneeling yesterday and hadn't washed up. Once her parents left, she would have to boil some water to take a bath.

Thinking of this, Tan You skillfully rinsed the clothes. By the time she started hanging them out to dry, Cheng Wenhui's breakfast was ready, and Tan Yue, Tan Lin, and the grandparents were all up.

Cheng Wenhui moved the breakfast to the folding table outside. Tan You took bowls and chopsticks from the cupboard, helped the elders serve their breakfast, and then sat at the table.

Seeing that everyone was present, Cheng Wenhui spoke: "We'll go to C Province after breakfast. Tan Yue is coming with us, and we'll be back before school starts."

"You stay home this summer vacation. If there's anything at your school, call me." She said this to Tan You. Her gaze toward Tan You was cold, clearly still angry about Tan You's high school entrance exam results.

Tan You just nodded. She was naturally quiet at home, and no one was willing to listen to her anyway. After all, in everyone's eyes, every word she said would eventually become a weapon to criticize and attack her.

Cheng Wenhui didn't take Tan You's attitude to heart: "You did so poorly on your entrance exam this time. You were only two points off; you almost didn't have a high school to go to. A girl your age, if you don't study, what do you want to do? Factories won't even hire you; you'll only be able to come back and farm."

"Your eyesight isn't good either. You can't even tell the difference between rice and weeds when weeding the fields. Besides studying, what else can you do?" Cheng Wenhui began her daily lecture.

In the past, Tan You would have found it annoying, as she always said these things. But ever since she carefully read the first client's experiences last night, Tan You suddenly took these words to heart.

Of course, she wasn't very good with words. Even if her inner thoughts had changed, she wouldn't show it on her face, just continuing to nod.

Cheng Wenhui sighed: "I won't say anything more. You're already sixteen. Foreigners are independent after eighteen. When you're eighteen, we won't worry about you anymore."

Tan You looked up at Cheng Wenhui. She was a serious person, so she naturally took Cheng Wenhui's words to heart.

Tan Lin also spoke up: "Your mother isn't wrong. Foreigners support themselves by working after they come of age. Our family will do the same. When you're an adult, you'll earn your own money to support yourself."

"Also, how much money you've spent on this family over the years—even if we calculate it at ten thousand a year, we've raised you for so many years, and you'll have to pay us back later."

Tan You gripped her chopsticks, still saying nothing. Her personality leaned toward her grandfather, Tan Deming; she was naturally taciturn and rarely showed expression, so no matter how much turmoil she felt inside, no one could tell.

Please collect, please recommend!

(End of chapter)