NOVPUBWhen she brought it over, there was a hint of uncertainty in her demeanor.
But seeing Chen Mo so stunned that he couldn’t even speak, even losing the usual gentleness he reserved just for her… it seemed he was satisfied, right?
[Little Jump trusts me too. Even though the instructions listed the effects, he didn’t take it to the lab for testing—as if he just believed it outright.]
As if he was certain the Ji family’s pharmacist wouldn’t deceive him.
System: Says not to let Ji Tingzhou call her "Little Jump," but secretly uses the nickname the most.
Not that Ji Nian could be blamed, though.
"Little Jump" sounded much more like a rabbit’s name than something like "Algernon."
Fortunately, Chen Mo finally snapped out of it before Ji Nian reached the airport.
"You’re going somewhere unfamiliar. If anything happens, call home."
Chen Mo had someone bring down the luggage he’d prepared specifically for Ji Nian.
A cute rabbit plush hung from the handle, as if she were just heading out for a picnic.
Ji Nian didn’t refuse, accepting his kindness.
Though inwardly, she thought: The destination isn’t exactly unfamiliar to me.
...
Outside Juhua County in Qingye City lay Linshan Village, a place that had nurtured generations for decades.
At 5 p.m., it was dismissal time at the village’s only school—Ji Nian Elementary.
"Yuanyuan, come jump rope in my yard later!"
A little girl with a ponytail, wearing a pink-striped short-sleeve, turned her head hurriedly at the call of her name. "No! My mom told me to go home early and help with chores!"
Without waiting for a response, she dashed off. If she was late, her mom would scold her for playing too much.
Pushing open the gate to her house, Yuanyuan spotted her seventeen-year-old sister feeding the chickens from a distance.
She wanted to help, but the creak of the door was too loud—her mom heard and started shouting for her. She had no choice but to abandon the idea and run to her mother.
"Go clean out the room next door. Make sure it’s spotless."
Yuanyuan watched as her mom rummaged through the cabinet and pulled out a brand-new quilt.
She’d secretly touched it before—light and soft. Her mom had always been reluctant to use it, so why take it out today?
"Is someone coming to stay?"
She took the bucket and rag her mom handed her, peeking curiously.
"Since when do kids worry about grown folks’ business? Hurry up and clean."
Pouting, Yuanyuan thought, Fine, don’t tell me. I’ll find out sooner or later.
Before leaving, she couldn’t resist poking a dusty finger into the freshly kneaded dough her mom hadn’t steamed yet.
Next to Yuanyuan’s house stood another building.
When Yuanyuan’s father was alive, he’d worked in the city for years and saved up money, planning to build a countryside-style villa like the ones popular online.
But after finishing the first floor, before he could start on the second, he died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage.
The sight of the house always made Yuanyuan’s mom cry, so they never moved in.
"Who on earth is coming?"
Wringing out the rag as she wiped the floor, Yuanyuan couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard she tried.
Unlike her mom, she didn’t feel sad seeing the house—she actually longed to live there.
She didn’t think her life was pitiful at all. Compared to their neighbors, a single mother and her son, her family was much better off.
The sun set late here.
After an early dinner, ignoring her mom’s calls, Yuanyuan sat on the doorstep with a small stool as her desk, scribbling homework under the evening sky. She propped her chin on her hand, staring down the road, ignoring anyone who teased her.
This was when the village came alive—elders sitting outside on stools, chatting in the cool breeze.
Then, two unfamiliar figures, one tall and one small, appeared in the distance, walking down the dusty road.
The villagers’ chatter quieted.
Yuanyuan, struggling with an arithmetic problem, noticed the sudden hush and looked up.
Her eyes locked with the girl approaching—clearly not from around here.
Yuanyuan’s eyes widened instantly.
The girl wore a gray short-sleeve and black bloomer pants. Maybe feeling hot, she’d taken off her cap, shaking out her wavy hair with a casual flick.
A simple motion, but she made it look graceful, like the princesses in Yuanyuan’s picture books—even without a fancy dress.
Behind her walked a man in a short-sleeve, his muscular arms carrying two suitcases effortlessly.
Before they even reached her, Yuanyuan jumped up and dashed over, staring up at Ji Nian’s face. Up close, seeing the girl’s dark green, foxtail-like eyes, she nearly forgot to breathe.
"Are you—are you staying in that big house?" she blurted excitedly.
Ji Nian looked down at the eager little girl, meeting a pair of bright, curious eyes.
The stark black-and-white reminded her of the first time she’d met He Xiang.
"Yes," she nodded.
Yuanyuan’s face lit up. "It’s my house! Let me show you in!"
She beckoned Ji Nian and the intimidating man behind her.
A villager called out, "Yuanyuan, these relatives of yours?"
The girl pretended not to hear. If I answer, the whole village will know by morning.
Too excited to even call for her mom, Yuanyuan kept staring at Ji Nian’s green eyes until her mother finally came out, drawn by the noise.
"You brat!"
She jabbed Yuanyuan’s forehead, shoving her aside, then beamed at Ji Nian. But when she got a proper look at the girl who’d paid 20,000 just to stay, she froze.
In all her life, she’d never seen someone so pretty—more radiant than any TV star.
And a foreigner, no less.
"Uh… hello?" she tried, mimicking TV accents, suddenly worried about the language barrier.
"I’m Chinese," Ji Nian explained, used to this reaction.
Yuanyuan gasped. "I know! You’re from an ethnic minority, right?"
Amused by the girl’s earnestness, Ji Nian smiled slightly. "I’m Han."
Before Yuanyuan could say more, her mom cut in.
Noticing the mud caking Ji Nian’s expensive shoes, she quickly explained the house’s condition and shooed Yuanyuan away, urging Ji Nian to rest.
Muttering, "What’s a kid like you doing in a place like this?"
Yuanyuan kept glancing back, reluctant to leave.
Just as her mom raised a hand to swat her, Ji Nian suddenly waved her over.
The girl slipped free like a greased pig, darting back instantly.
"Someone asked me to bring you a gift," Ji Nian said.
She took something from the person on her right and placed it into Yuanyuan's hand.
Yuanyuan looked down—
It was a jar filled with colorful candies.
She froze for a long moment, and when she finally looked up, her eyes instantly reddened. Overwhelmed with excitement, she jumped up and shouted, "Brother He Xiang! It's Brother He Xiang!!!"
