2

    My name is Bai Xue

    "You... Great-grandfather! Auntie has awakened! Father, mother! It’s Aunt; she has opened her eyes!"

    A commotion arose as she woke up, feeling utterly drained. It had been so long since she had felt this weak. She blinked her round eyes slightly to dispel the confusion before seeing several people running towards her with joy.

    The little child in front of her, who was shouting loudly, looked at her and smiled innocently, tiny hands gripping her hand tightly. It was the first time someone had held her hand with such happiness, the first time someone smiled upon seeing her.

    Is this my family?

    I hope it is them.

    Days after Bai Xue was reborn, she thought rebirth meant being born from a mother's womb, but not for her. She was reborn in the body of a ten-year-old girl named Bai Xue.

    Bai Xue lived with her great-grandfather Bai Ling and her elder brother Bai San. Her family was middle class and engaged in herbal collection and trade, as her great-grandfather was a high-level herbalist. They resided in Misty Village, adjacent to the terrifying Hundred Demons Forest.

    When Bai Xue was ten years old, she followed her great-grandfather into the outer forest to collect herbs. Unfortunately, she was attacked by a high-level Winter Serpent, not meant to be in the outer forest, which nearly led to her death. Fortunately, her great-grandfather managed to detoxify her in time, saving her life.

    However, the cold venom of the serpent seeped into her body, causing her to enter a long slumber and sleep for ten years.

    This meant that Bai Xue was actually twenty years old now, not ten as her appearance suggests. Due to the venom freezing her body, her growth was halted as well.

    Initially, she was very worried, fearing she would remain a child forever, as she had in her past life, afraid of being seen as a monster again. But those worries dissipated as she became more familiar with this world, a world so different from before, as if it were a magical realm from a famous movie she had once seen...

    With the ten years Bai Xue had slept, her brother was now twenty-five years old and married a sister-in-law named Jiu Ying five years ago, having twin children named Bai Tian and Bai Lan.

    As for Jiu Ying, she was none other than Bai Xue's childhood friend.

    "Aunt, Auntie dear!"

    "I'm right here," Bai Xue responded to the call of her little niece before she saw the chubby figure resembling a snow doll of Bai Lan running straight towards her.

    "Auntie, did Father say you possess the Wood Element just like great-grandfather, is it true?" Bai Lan asked with wide, curious eyes looking at Bai Xue.

    "Yes," Bai Xue nodded in affirmation.

    The matter of elemental powers was another thing Bai Xue had to learn. Fortunately, she still retained some memories of Bai Xue's previous life; otherwise, she would be at a loss, becoming someone with special powers. And if this were her previous life, Bai Xue would surely be called a witch.

    "That's amazing! I also wish to have the Wood Element, but my father and mother possess the Earth Element, not the Wood."

    "Do not worry. Even if your parents do not possess the Wood Element, you are my niece, the granddaughter of our grandfather. You carry the blood of the Bai family. You may have the Wood Element as you wish." Bai Xue explained, referencing the reality of genetic inheritance.

    As for Bai Lan not knowing which element she possessed, it was because she was not yet five years old and thus could not be tested for elemental powers. Bai Xue knew that to test for elemental powers in one's body, one must be at least five years old, and currently, the twins were not of age yet.

    "Really, Auntie?" Bai Lan exclaimed with joy upon hearing Bai Xue's words.

    "I have no need to lie to you."

    "I understand now! I'll go tell Brother Tian Er about this," Bai Lan smiled widely and hurried off, surely to find her twin brother Bai Tian.

    Bai Xue watched the little figure leave, allowing a faint smile to cross her face, almost imperceptible. She wasn't annoyed by Bai Lan's frequent visits but instead felt a calming of her spirit. The stress, pressure, fear, and all the feelings she had experienced seemed to have been laid to rest.

    She must thank the old woman for giving her such a warm family to be reborn into.

    "Is Lan Er bothering you again?" a warm voice sounded, belonging to Bai Ling.

    "Because she is young, she has many curiosities, sir," Bai Xue turned to answer her grandfather, who sat down and looked at her with a gentle gaze, laughing softly.

    "And you aren't a child, my granddaughter?" Bai Ling asked. In the eyes of the elder, Bai Xue was still a child.

    "I am twenty years old now, grandfather," Bai Xue frowned slightly, wondering why everyone liked to say she was a child. Was it because she was only slightly taller than Bai Tian and Bai Lan?

    But that wasn't fair. If anyone was to blame, it was that snake that had frozen her.

    "No matter the age, you are still a child to me," Bai Ling smiled upon seeing his granddaughter's expression, then gently stroked her head with his hand.

    "Well, grandfather is a hundred years old. How could I be older than you?"

    "Cheeky child! You've just woken up and are already talking back to me," Bai Ling playfully scolded his granddaughter.

    But even though he spoke loudly, it was clear he was in a good mood, not angry. His eyes showed that at this moment, the elder of the Bai family was very happy, which Bai Xue could also feel.

    "Right, I have read all these books," Bai Xue shook her head and placed ten thick books in front of Bai Ling.

    "You've read them all?" Bai Ling paused, looking at Bai Xue in surprise. These ten herbal manuals were given to Bai Xue to memorize herself.

    Bai Ling had provided the manuals for Bai Xue to read while she was recuperating, as she couldn't do much else. He hadn't expected that in just a few days, Bai Xue could memorize all ten volumes like this.

    "Yes, sir. I've read them all and memorized all the herbs," Bai Xue nodded softly.

    "Xue Er, don't lie to an old man like me. You've memorized all the herbs in just a few days?" Bai Ling murmured, somewhat disbelieving.

    "If you don't believe me, you can test me."

    "Yes, yes, I must test you. Follow me, Xue Er!"

    Afterward, Bai Ling quickly led Bai Xue to his herb storage room before selecting herbs from it to test whether what Bai Xue had said was true.

    "What would you like to test, grandfather?" Bai Xue asked, already guessing what it might be.

    "Name the herbs and their properties that I'm about to show you," Bai Ling explained his testing method, holding a covered basket that concealed its contents, which contained various herbs selected for the test.

    "Alright, sir. I understand," Bai Xue nodded, understanding Bai Ling's instructions.

    Then, the elder began to present the selected herbs for Bai Xue to identify, which she did easily and precisely.

    "Dew Grass, medium level, enhances bodily strength.

    Eternal Leaf, medium level, heals wounds.

    White Jade Seed, low level, expels cold.

    Three-lobed Water Leaf, low level, reduces fever.

    Red Vine, medium level, stops bleeding.

    Slumber Grass, low level, aids in restful sleep..."

    Bai Xue detailed the properties of the herbs in the basket one by one without any hesitation, as if everything was truly recorded in her head. Meanwhile, Bai Ling watched his little granddaughter with astonishment and joy.

    In just a few days, Bai Xue could memorize so many herbs, and if what she had said earlier was true, it meant that she could now recall thousands of herbs from all ten volumes. Such an achievement would have taken him decades to memorize all the herbs himself!

    "Genius! My granddaughter is a genius! Ha ha!"

    Bai Xue blinked as she watched her grandfather laughing until his beard quivered incomprehensibly. Could it be that her grandfather had aged to the point of becoming senile, suddenly laughing out so crazily?

    This won't do. I've just gotten a grandfather; I can't allow him to fall ill at all costs. It seems I must quickly study the methods of concocting medicines and healing... so that I can treat my grandfather.