Chapter 87 — IAVD (QT) Chapter 87

Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) were not a local specialty. Only this breakfast shop sold them.

The baskets were brought up and lined in a row. Each bamboo steamer held seven buns, steaming hot. White mist billowed up, revealing the delicate, petite xiaolongbao beneath, neatly arranged in the pale yellow steamers.

She picked one up and put it into her mouth. Taking a light bite, the broth mixed with the aroma of fresh meat flooded her mouth, hot and scalding yet wonderfully comforting.

Ji Jingyu had eaten this kind of bun elsewhere before. Most places called them Hangzhou xiaolongbao, but they were actually Shengzhou xiaolongbao. They just borrowed the name. It was like how Lanzhou pulled noodles were everywhere, yet had little to do with people from Lanzhou, since most shops were opened by people from Qingdao.

That said, this breakfast shop really had skill. Every bun had thin skin and generous filling, and the seasoned meat was fresh and fragrant, leaving one deeply satisfied.

Ji Jingyu quickly finished the basket in front of her, then reached her chopsticks toward another steamer.

“Cough.” Ji Xiu looked at her. “That’s mine.”

Ji Jingyu stared at him in disbelief. How could he be like this? How could her dad actually guard his food? Shouldn’t it be half for each of them?

Ji Xiu did not look the least bit embarrassed. He picked up a bun and put it into his mouth. Seeing her indignant expression, he said helplessly, “You’re small but your appetite isn’t. If you keep eating, you won’t be able to finish the beef rice noodles. We can’t waste food.”

Ji Jingyu froze, touched her stomach, then looked at the equally tempting bowl of beef rice noodles in front of her, wanting to cry but having no tears.

Why wasn’t she a big eater?

That way she could have finished both bowls of noodles and all three baskets of xiaolongbao!

With a heart full of pain and reluctance, Ji Jingyu let the xiaolongbao go and continued eating the beef rice noodles. When she finished, her little belly was bulging, and she truly could not eat another bite.

Looking again at her dad, who had swept clean the beef rice noodles and two baskets of xiaolongbao and still looked like he had room to spare, she felt extremely envious.

“Why are you pulling such a long face? There will be another chance to come next time.” Ji Xiu found it amusing. This little girl’s emotions were far too obvious. Whatever she thought showed clearly on her face. She was a living, breathing little foodie.

Ji Xiu stood up to pay the bill. Ji Jingyu followed along and took a glance at the prices.

Beef rice noodles were seven yuan. Xiaolongbao were four yuan fifty.

Even so, the proprietress looked a bit embarrassed. Seeing Ji Jingyu staring at the price list, she explained, “Pork prices went up this year.”

“Huh?” Ji Jingyu was confused for a moment, then quickly understood that her behavior had caused a misunderstanding. She waved her hands hurriedly. “No, it’s not expensive. The food is really delicious.”

The proprietress revealed a gentle smile. “If you like it, come often.”

Ji Jingyu happily agreed. Turning around to find Ji Xiu, she glanced back once more and saw a girl about her age walk in from outside, pulling on the proprietress’s hand and acting spoiled. The two looked somewhat alike, like mother and daughter.

She did not know what they said. The proprietress lightly tapped the girl’s forehead, her brows showing mock reproach, then revealed an indulgent smile.

Ji Jingyu paused, staring at that smile in a daze.

“Daughter?” Ji Xiu called her. Seeing no response, he followed her gaze, fell silent for a moment, then showed a faint smile and pretended not to know anything as he walked over and patted her shoulder. “Let’s go. The police station should be open now.”

Ji Jingyu jolted awake, her expression blank. “Ah?”

Ji Xiu shook the household registration booklet in his hand, teasing light in his eyes. “Did you go silly? Forgot why we came to town?”

She had not forgotten. They came to change her name.

Ji Jingyu answered silently in her heart. Suddenly remembering the main matter, she immediately forgot what had just happened. Her eyes shone brightly as she urged him, full of spirit, “Dad, hurry, hurry, let’s go line up.”

An hour later, the father and daughter walked out of the police station, holding a slip of paper.

Submitting the name change application and waiting for approval would take time. After fifteen days, they would need to come again with this slip to collect the documents. Only then would the name be officially changed.

In their tacit discussion, the soon to arrive name was precisely Ji Jingyu.

Ji Jingyu was very happy, walking along with high spirits. But there was also a trace of doubt in her heart. When she proposed wanting to be called Ji Jingyu, her dad seemed a little surprised, yet he agreed very quickly. Why was that?

And Ji Xiu, walking behind her and watching his daughter’s figure, also had his own thoughts.

In the original world line, the little girl should have only changed her name at seventeen, after going out to work.

Before that, she had always been called Ji Zhaodi and had never disliked that name.

But in the one or two days he had spent with the little girl, she had clearly expressed her distaste for the three characters Ji Zhaodi, and earlier at the police station, she had proposed changing her name to Ji Jingyu.

Was this the invisible guidance of the world line, or was there another reason?

Ji Xiu thought about it, then temporarily pressed the doubt into his heart, planning to observe more later.

When the two hurried back home, it was already past ten in the morning. The sun was blazing, the temperature rising. Cicadas along the roadside cried incessantly, making people restless.

Fortunately, once they pushed open the wicker gate and returned to the courtyard, a cool breeze blew in, easing the irritability in their hearts.

Ji Xiu planned to rest in the courtyard for a bit, then slowly find Tian Chunfang to talk about serious matters.

Just at this moment, the fragrance of food drifted out from the kitchen.

Ji Xiu and Ji Jingyu exchanged a glance. They did not go over to join the bustle. Instead, Tian Chunfang heard the noise, lifted the kitchen curtain, and saw the two of them returning. Standing by the doorpost with dishes in her hands, she looked over with cold mockery. “Oh, the master and young miss are back.”

Ji Xiu’s expression cooled.

Turning around, he went straight into the house without paying her any attention.

Ji Jingyu glanced at the woman and, without saying a word, followed him inside.

Tian Chunfang clenched her chopsticks, her teeth grinding with a creaking sound as she angrily said, “Fine, you’re all rebelling now. Every single one of you thinks you’re something. You don’t even greet me…”

After the door closed, the sound became much softer and gradually faded until it could no longer be heard.

Ji Xiu sighed in his heart, exhausted.

This was the first time he had encountered such a thorny character. When he tried to speak properly, the moment she felt displeased, she would start throwing a tantrum. If he waited for her to calm down before talking, she could hold grudges endlessly. When they met, she would ignore everything else and provoke first, showing not the slightest restraint.

The people Ji Xiu had dealt with before were mostly educated women who understood reason. Even if something was wrong with their heads, they still knew etiquette and shame, and could listen to words.

Facing this hot potato for the first time, he did not know what to do.

For now, the only plan was to ignore her for a while and let her quiet down before talking.

Only, this time would probably be long. The original owner had been an honest, simple, taciturn man. Knowing the family had little money, he had treated the wife who was willing to marry over with great respect.

Over more than ten years, he had spoiled Tian Chunfang, who was already lazy and hot tempered, into becoming even more overbearing. She ruled the household with absolute authority, unstoppable by anyone.

To make her recognize reality and soften, without one or two months, it was probably impossible.

Ji Xiu held his head and calculated. Forget it, let’s just muddle through like this for now. In any case, most of the family’s money was in his hands. If he wanted to do some small business at home, not needing to discuss it with her was actually just fine.

Yes, Ji Xiu had no intention of leaving again on this trip out.

He possessed the original owner’s memories and knew how hard the original owner’s life had been outside. Asking him to go work on construction sites like the original owner was not very possible. And if he left, Ji Jingyu would fall back into Tian Chunfang’s hands, suffering who knew how much hardship. He was not that cruel.

Since he was not going out to work, he naturally needed another means of livelihood.

In a small place like He Town, farming could only provide enough to eat, with no way to make real money. In the future, when Ji Jingyu went to attend high school in the city, they would not even be able to afford tuition and living expenses.

But what kind of business should he do?

The first thing Ji Xiu eliminated was food. That required cooking skills.

Unfortunately, he had everything except that.

After thinking for a long time without an answer, Ji Xiu noticed Ji Jingyu watching him from the side. He smiled and said, “You don’t need to stay here with me. You kids rarely get a holiday. Go out and play.”

Ji Jingyu tapped her toe on the ground, her tone listless. “I don’t have much in common with those kids.”

Ji Xiu laughed loudly. “Where did you learn that phrase? Quite cultured. Isn’t Li Shengnan next door your good friend? Changing your name is such a big thing. Aren’t you going to tell her?”

Ji Jingyu’s eyes widened.

Right, the person in the whole village who liked calling her Ji Zhaodi the most was Li Shengnan. Changing her name, she definitely had to go tell her, so she would not call her by that ugly old name again.

Ji Jingyu jumped down from the stool, greeted Ji Xiu, and ran out the door.

Ji Xiu was still thinking and did not pay attention, waving his hand to let her go.

And so, Ji Jingyu knocked on the Li family’s door, told Li Shengnan about what had happened today, and was met with Li Shengnan’s envious cries.

“Jingyu, Jingyu, your name sounds so nice…”

The more Ji Jingyu listened, the more it felt wrong. Jingyu, polite language, whale?

She hurriedly cut her off. “Stop yelling. I’m going home to do homework.” She would rather do summer homework than stay with Li Shengnan, this little devil.

Li Shengnan blinked, her face full of sincerity. “Can I do homework with you?”

She had puppy eyes, the corners of her eyes slightly drooping, looking innocent and pitiful. Every time she spoke like this, Ji Jingyu could not resist.

Ji Jingyu said, “…I’ll wait for you three minutes. Go get your homework.”

Li Shengnan revealed a happy expression, ran back to her room at top speed to get her homework, and followed Ji Jingyu to the Ji house.

In front of outsiders, Tian Chunfang would restrain herself a little. In the past, to get beaten less, Ji Jingyu had often invited this little companion to her room to do homework. This time was also familiar territory.

After finishing homework, the two packed up their textbooks and agreed to go herd cattle.

The cow at the Ji household was not bought by them, but belonged to Ji’s uncle. Normally, the uncle raised it, but during spring sowing and autumn harvest, the Ji family would borrow it for more than ten days. The uncle felt embarrassed to take money from his younger brother, so he let his niece help herd the cow for two months during summer vacation.

For rural children, herding cattle was not a hard job.

Cows were steady in temperament. As long as there was grass in front of them, they could eat for half an hour without moving. For children herding cattle, it was just leading the cow up the mountain, finding a place to tie the rope, and then running around freely.

To be fair, Ji Jingyu quite liked this job, even feeling a bit nostalgic.

At this time, the mountains were still green, the water still clear, the sky still blue.

Little companions gathered together, lying on the grass watching the sky. In the vast sky floated a few cotton like white, fluffy clouds. A gentle breeze passed by, bringing the fragrance of grass and soil to their noses. An afternoon passed just like this, talking and laughing.

Compared to working at home while being scolded and occasionally beaten, slacking off while herding cattle was of course much happier.

Only, today was very unlucky. Ji Jingyu had just led the cow up the mountain when she saw her sworn enemy, Xu Siye.

Xu Siye was the village bully. Because he was born in winter, with the north wind fierce and all things withered, yet the big tree by the house had four green leaves hanging on it, the family considered it a good omen and thus named him.

This name had once brought him a lot of ridicule. Later, when palace dramas became popular, his name sounded like calling “Fourth Master,” so he turned things around against the odds and became the object of girls’ attention. Only then did he put down this knot in his heart and daily upheld the persona of “Fourth Master,” becoming increasingly steady and aloof.

But at present, palace dramas had not yet become popular.

Xu Siye was still the village nuisance, hated by people and dogs alike, who liked bullying girls.

Seeing Xu Siye appear, Li Shengnan immediately made a bitter face. “Why would he come herd cattle?”

Ji Jingyu had almost forgotten this childhood nemesis. She looked for a long while before remembering, and casually said, “Let him come if he wants. As long as he doesn’t provoke us.”

“How could he not provoke us…” Li Shengnan muttered, and sure enough, Xu Siye came over.

“Ji Zhaodi, I heard your dad came back?” Xu Siye familiarly tugged at Ji Jingyu’s ponytail, mocking her. “You slacker king must be happy now. You can slack off and not work anymore.”

“Who’s slacking off? Jingyu has always been very hardworking.” Li Shengnan felt indignant on behalf of her companion. She grabbed Ji Jingyu’s hand. “Let’s go, Jingyu. Ignore him.”

Ji Jingyu found elementary school bickering quite interesting, but she did not like people tugging her hair.

In later years, when she opened her own chain restaurants, because of busy schedules and staying up late, she had shown signs of early hair loss. Only by applying various products every day had she saved this head of black hair.

Talking properly was fine. Why get handsy?

She rolled her eyes and let Li Shengnan pull her away.

Xu Siye chased after them, refusing to let it go, insisting on talking to Ji Jingyu. Seeing Ji Jingyu ignore him, he grew angry and his words turned sharp and vicious.

“Ji Zhaodi, you’re a worthless girl. Even your mom doesn’t want you. What are you so arrogant about?”

“…” Ji Jingyu turned back, her eyes icy as she stared at Xu Siye.

She had not wanted to get angry with a child, but finally could not help it. And at this moment, perhaps because she was stimulated, she suddenly felt a violent pain in her head.

The next second, her vision went black and she fell backward.

Li Shengnan stared blankly and did not catch her. Fortunately, there was a thick layer of grass beneath, cushioning the impact.

Xu Siye also froze, staring at the scene before him, not knowing what was going on.

Li Shengnan turned to look at him. Her eyes reddened, and she suddenly burst into loud crying. “Waa waa waa waa, Xu Siye, you made Ji Zhaodi faint.”

In her panic, she reverted to her old way of addressing Ji Jingyu.

Before Xu Siye could say anything else, her loud crying attracted the surrounding children.

Xu Siye panicked. Looking at Ji Jingyu with her eyes closed, he said in a fluster, “You all help me watch the cattle. I’ll go down the mountain to find Ji Zhaodi’s dad.”

After all the commotion, by the time Ji Xiu carried Ji Jingyu down from the mountain, herding cattle was no longer possible.

Fainting was a serious matter and could not be delayed. Ji Xiu returned the cow to the original owner’s older brother, then took Ji Jingyu to the town hospital to see a doctor.

…

When Ji Jingyu was half conscious, she felt as if something in her mind was calling out to her.

This thing made people feel extremely warm and comfortable, as if they were in a spring forest of flowers.

She could not help but respond to the call.

When she awoke, she suddenly discovered that she was actually in a strange space.

Where was this place?

As she explored the space in confusion, in reality.

“…”

Ji Xiu, who was carrying his daughter on his back and rushing toward town, suddenly stopped. Looking at the suddenly empty back, he froze in place.

Wait, where did his big precious daughter go?

Ji Xiu waited in place for about half an hour. Feeling fluctuations in the air again, he quickly raised his hands to catch her, just in time to catch Ji Jingyu as she fell from midair.

“Dad…” Ji Jingyu wanted to die. She covered her face and refused to look at anyone.

Ji Xiu put her down. His heart was full of guesses, but none could be confirmed. He sighed and said, “Tell me. What exactly is going on?”

Ji Jingyu stood there, aggrieved, her mood complicated. “I don’t know either.”

“Hm?” Ji Xiu waited for her to continue.

Seeing that she could not muddle through, Ji Jingyu showed a face that looked like she was about to cry without tears.

Fine. Actually, she knew what was going on, but she did not know how to say it.

In short, all of this was because of a jade bracelet she had bought at an auction the day before her car accident.

This jade bracelet turned out to be a storage space from another world. When she died in the car accident, it was precisely this space that blocked the disaster for her, allowing her to be reborn back to childhood.

But because it had blocked a calamity for her, the space’s energy was insufficient and it fell into dormancy.

Until just now, when she got angry with someone for the first time since her rebirth, her thoughts awakened the space.

The storage space did not have anything else. It was only a space of less than ten square meters.

In the middle of the space was a stone table and two round stone stools, with some tea brewing utensils placed on top. Beside the stone table was a piece of green stone, and on that green stone was a spring eye that continuously dripped spiritual spring water, gathering into a white jade plate, used for brewing tea for the owner of the storage space.

It looked mystical and wondrous.

In that instant, Ji Jingyu understood. So she was the female lead in a novel. Rebirth even came with a space and spiritual spring golden finger.

But how was she supposed to tell her dad?

Her dad had worked diligently his whole life, just an ordinary migrant worker. He had studied only up to middle school before going out to work. How could he accept such bizarre and strange matters? Not to mention the matter of rebirth.

She had made up her mind to play dumb for her whole life and never reveal the fact of rebirth. But damn it, she had not expected that when the space awakened, it would happen right on her dad’s back.

After discovering that she entered the space physically, she knew she was doomed.

Thus, she did a lot of psychological preparation inside the space before daring to come out.

But at this moment, facing Ji Xiu’s questioning, facing Ji Xiu’s inquiring gaze, the psychological preparation she had just done instantly collapsed into fragments. She truly did not know how to explain.

Ji Xiu examined her tangled, painful expression for a moment, then relented. “Forget it. Let’s go to the hospital first. You can slowly think about how to explain it to me later.”

Although he knew that something strange had most likely happened to his daughter, they still needed to go to the hospital.

After a trip to the hospital, she was diagnosed with mild anemia. Everything else was healthy. The father and daughter then set off on the road home again.

This road had also been walked in the morning, but walking it twice now carried completely different moods.

Ji Xiu was still guessing what the strangeness on Ji Jingyu’s body was caused by, while Ji Jingyu was clawing at her heart and scratching at her lungs, thinking about how to explain this matter.

It was really too awkward. Just thinking about it made her want to faint.

In the end, before returning to the village, she decided to hide the rebirth and explain her situation with a heaven bestowed space.

Since the space was in hand, she definitely could not abandon it.

In fact, she planned to carefully study the uses of the space and later use this golden finger to get rich.

But she was only twelve years old now. She could not hide anything from Ji Xiu.

Since her dad would know the truth sooner or later, telling him earlier was the same.

Because she was afraid Ji Xiu would be frightened by this matter, she spoke carefully, choosing her words again and again.

Before she could finish her long explanation, Ji Xiu nodded in sudden understanding. “I understand. You awakened a storage space, and there is a spiritual spring inside.”

Hm? Ji Jingyu’s eyes went round.

Her dad was this calm?

Could it be that he thought she was crazy and was just going along with her words?

Ji Xiu saw her disbelief, rubbed her head, and suddenly revealed a profound, unfathomable expression. “You have to know, your dad has eaten more rice than you have eaten salt. This is nothing. Your dad has worked outside. What haven’t I seen?”

Ji Jingyu was somewhat unconvinced. She pouted, lifted her head, and looked carefully at his expression. Seeing that he looked natural, with encouragement and comfort in his eyes, she paused, then suddenly let go of the tension in her heart and breathed out in relief.

To be honest, although her dad was the only person she trusted in this world, truly laying bare the secret that had appeared on her body put a lot of pressure on her heart. She was afraid her dad would not believe her, that he would think she was some kind of demon or ghost. She was also afraid her dad would be frightened out of his mind by this secret, thinking she was a monster.

Now that her dad accepted it very calmly, after her surprise, she began to feel relieved.

People said that only parents would unconditionally trust and love their children. But she had not felt even a trace of such feelings from Tian Chunfang, so she had always been doubtful of this statement.

Thinking about it now, perhaps this statement also depended on luck.

She had bad luck and did not encounter a mother who trusted and loved her. But fortunately, she had a father who trusted and loved her.

No matter what kind of strange situation appeared, her dad would believe her.

Ji Jingyu felt lighthearted and a little happy. She grabbed Ji Xiu’s arm and shook it. “Dad, you’re amazing.”

Ji Xiu smiled subtly. “Dad is of course amazing. So Jingyu, can you tell dad whether you still have any other secrets you haven’t told me?”

Ji Jingyu froze.

Ji Xiu continued, “Any child who discovers something like a space would not be as calm as you. They would have long since turned the world upside down, thinking they were a little fairy or little immortal, that they should cultivate immortality or eliminate demons and uphold the righteous path.”

Only Ji Jingyu, the first thing she thought about was how to gain his trust.

This was not an attitude a twelve year old child should have.

Or rather, not an attitude that a twelve year old Ji Jingyu should have.

In the original owner’s memories, this daughter had always been honest and timid. Because she had lived under Tian Chunfang’s shadow for many years, her sense of presence was weak, and she did not dare to express her own thoughts or needs at all.

But on the first day he came back, Ji Jingyu had proposed changing her name.

Ji Xiu had previously thought that the original owner’s memories were wrong and that he had misunderstood his daughter’s personality. After all, if she were truly that weak, she could not have become the domineering, powerful woman of later years.

But no matter what, after discovering the space, she should not have been this calm.

There was definitely something odd here.

And Ji Jingyu, upon hearing this analysis, was completely stunned.