Chapter 8

Choosing a Path is Harder Than Expected

A medium-sized wooden chest, just about an arm’s width, was dragged out by Ning-ning after she removed several layers of wooden planks that had concealed it.

Lijin felt truly proud of this maid. After she had fallen into the water three years ago, it had been Ning-ning—sharp-witted as ever—who had hidden away all the important belongings and later managed to relocate them to this residence. Loyalty was something that deserved to be repaid, and Ning-ning had already earned a place on the list of those to whom both she and her children were indebted.

Unfortunately, her ability to calculate was somewhat lacking. Lijin had to sit and watch as the maid carefully picked up each silver ingot, counting them one by one with great focus.

"Fifty-six... fifty-seven... fifty-eight, and about four and a half more, so that would be..."

"Sixty-two taels of silver and about five hundred copper coins," Lijin raised her skeletal hand to massage her temple as a headache began creeping in. "Are there any pieces of jewelry? What about the dowry I set aside for my daughter? And the dowry my father gave me?"

"About that... those items are kept in the central storage under Wei Chang’s supervision, madam. However, during the time they took it for safekeeping, no one could find the key to the chest that Master Gu had locked away. Even I have no idea what’s inside." Lijin nodded, satisfied, even though she herself had no knowledge of this missing key.

Possessions that couldn’t be used were nothing more than zeros in a financial equation. But seeing those greedy hands reaching for her old wealth, only to suffer the agony of being unable to use what was right within their grasp—it was undeniably satisfying.

"Was my father very rich?"

"Veryyyyy..." Ning-ning spread her arms wide to emphasize the grandeur of her statement. "But I suppose it’s all vanished into the pockets of vultures now. That’s what I heard, madam."

"Hmm... Having too much wealth can be a double-edged sword. I suppose the balance between power and fortune must have collapsed, leading to such an end." Lijin fell into a slight melancholy. She regretted that, in this life, there was no foundation for her to build upon. A wave of sorrow surged from within this body, for reasons she could not understand.

"My mistress..." Ning-ning attempted to console her, but Lijin recovered quickly.

The past was the past. One should learn from it and leave it behind. There was no need to dwell on it and let it negatively impact the future.

"Tomorrow, go to the city and gather information for me. There are many things I want to know. Please help me with this." The maid nodded eagerly in agreement.

Ning-ning sent her mistress to bed with a smile.

She had no idea that the following day would be one where she would have to use her brain so much that her head would spin...The next morning, Lijin woke up feeling refreshed.  She had already instructed Ning Ning to prepare drinking water in a clay kettle, so she poured herself a cup and drank it on her own. Her old habits of maintaining health were still being practiced.

She had to finish the entire kettle before doing anything else. This was to stimulate her intestines and help expel waste more efficiently. Afterward, she lightly stretched and exercised in her own way, waiting until she needed to relieve herself, which she then did in a container that the maid had prepared.

At first, she had felt strange about it, but she quickly adapted. It seemed inevitable that in the future, she would have to build a modern bathroom in her new residence. Of course, that would be her new home—once she had secured her freedom.

She gazed at the short, flat wooden bucket for a moment, then felt like hiding it away.

However, she couldn’t afford to waste time, so she continued thinking while doing other tasks.

Lijin knew well that Ning-ning was illiterate. Still, she made an effort to summarize what she needed in a way that was easy to remember and concise enough for her maid to retain.

Market research was essential to earning an income that could support their household of five. Lijin was already considering the future, when they might need to hire additional servants. Thus, she had to find a stable and abundant source of income—one that wouldn’t step on anyone’s toes and invite trouble at this time​.

The perfume and cosmetic business was what she desired. However, in Nihe City, where she had very little information at present, she could not yet start such a venture. Aside from requiring a continuous supply of raw materials to sustain production, the initial investment costs were exceedingly high. Furthermore, there were additional factors to consider, such as labor and maintaining trade secrets.

She had neither the capital to invest, nor a location, nor the connections to protect herself if greedy opportunists sought to exploit her. She also lacked a reliable sales channel. This business would have to be set aside for now, just as she had predicted.

Farming was a good idea, but while she possessed theoretical knowledge, her body was weak, and she lacked practical experience. However, this thought process led her to a crucial realization—being a producer in a business society was a path that required only physical effort, diligence, and knowledge. If the quality was good enough, buyers would come on their own, helping to safeguard and defend their shared interests. It was a relatively safe choice. However, it was still hindered by the need for land and labor investment.

Cooking as a business was no different—it required exceptional skill. In the past, Sali had enjoyed delicious and nutritious food. She was a devoted food enthusiast, but she was no master chef. At most, she could prepare fried rice, clear soup, or pork-filled buns for a snack.

One way to earn money that suddenly came to mind was embroidery. This trade was well-suited for women in this era. It was a form of production that required skill and patience. It could be done within the household without the need to travel—making it a very convenient choice.

But... she only understood the theory. She had never practiced embroidery seriously. Even if she had countless refined designs in her head, she would still need months, maybe years, to hone her craft. That was not fast enough to deal with the crisis looming three months ahead.

She had been transported to another world and given a new life, much like in her imagination. Why, then, had she not been granted some miraculous artifact? Or was the knowledge she had gained from that mysterious dimension already sufficient? Perhaps she was just being greedy.

She had no idea whether this land contained supernatural elements, martial arts, or celestial beings. She would have to wait until she escaped this prison before she could explore to her heart’s content.

Or perhaps she should send Ning-ning to investigate an antique shop? Maybe she would find something interesting to build upon...

(Am I… being too delusional? There’s no way an old martial arts master or celestial being would be lurking around the market searching for a disciple, like in those novels, right? Hahaha.) She chuckled to herself, amused by her own thoughts, then made a firm resolve—she would continue exploring her options until she found something suitable.

After finishing her exercise, she let her sweat-drenched body rest and relieved herself. Then, she used a clean cloth, soaked in water, to wipe herself down. Her body had firmed up considerably compared to three weeks ago. However, her skin still lacked the healthy glow of youth. The only thing she could take pride in was... certain parts of her figure that were perhaps a little too well-developed.

She wondered if she had any gray hairs, but her long, flowing hair did not look unsightly. There were some split ends, but with proper care, it could be restored to its former beauty. At the very least, this body was neither bloated nor overly frail. It was a new life she could be satisfied with.

The only thing left was... She really wanted to see her own face.

The first light of day had been shining for a while now.

When it reflected off the water in the basin, which was slightly murky, it might just serve as a mirror. Lijin sat patiently, focusing her mind as she waited for the water to settle. Then, she carefully adjusted her angle to find the perfect reflection before eagerly examining her own face.

Then... she froze for a moment.

(Thirty-five? Really?) That was the first thought that surfaced in her mind.

An oval-shaped face, slightly pale and weary, yet with well-balanced features. Her eyebrows were sharp and beautifully shaped—not too thin like typical Chinese women, who often needed charcoal sticks to fill them in. Yet they weren’t overly thick like a man’s, either. Her lips, though pale, were perfectly shaped. Even if they weren’t plump now, she was sure they would look lovely once restored. Her nose was high and well-defined. There was not a single feature that seemed out of place. Her fingers absentmindedly traced the corners of her eyes and other parts of her face. It was a relief—there weren’t too many signs of aging, as she had anticipated.

She could still restore herself! In truth, she had been too pessimistic. Thirty-five wasn’t an age of decline—it wasn’t so old that it was beyond help. Rather, it was the prime age—a time of maturity and refined charm​.

(Not a young girl, but not an old aunt either. That’s great.) Lijin thanked the heavens.

In truth, one of the blessings she had wished for in that strange dimension had already come true—she had not died before her parents.

But not being able to see them, that was not what she had hoped for either…

At the very least, she had been granted a new life in a body that still retained much of its beauty. Could that be considered a great blessing?

(Then I shall cherish the beauty I have been given to the best of my ability. Let Lijin have faith in the promise of this Sali!) She whispered this vow to the old soul that had originally belonged to this body, feeling a moment of tranquility.

After admiring her own reflection to her satisfaction, she immediately understood where her three children had inherited their good looks from. Her heart swelled with warmth as she thought of them snuggling against her. The bond between mother and child was truly mysterious—she loved all three little ones with all her heart.

After quickly changing into the prepared clothes, Lijin sat down to comb her hair, then habitually tied it into a bun at the back of her head. She listened to the rooster’s crow for a long while before footsteps echoed from outside the room. The sound signaled that Ning-ning had finished tending to the children. She was likely here to set the table before heading out to collect their large daily meal.

"Good morning, madam." Ning-ning was slightly startled to see her mistress already dressed and looking neat and clean so early in the day. Moreover, Lijin was inspecting various parts of the medium-sized room with curiosity, holding a damp cloth in her hand—perhaps intending to wipe down the furniture she wanted to use.

"Good morning. Bring the table out first. I’ll set it up myself. You should hurry to the kitchen. Take five or six copper coins as a reward for the ones who help carry all the dishes."

"Oh, there’s no need to go that far, madam. Those servants already serve the Wei household—they have wages. And also... Madam, you don’t need to dirty your hands cleaning. That’s the servants’ duty. Let me..."

"You’re already working yourself to the bone. Let me move around a bit—it’ll help me recover faster… There’s plenty to do today. Enough talk, get to work..." She gave her maid a brief lesson on the importance of using rewards, after which the other woman left, still looking a little puzzled.

"Yes, madam..." The maid bowed her head slightly, a hint of sorrow on her face. Yet, she was glad that her mistress could move again. What had happened yesterday was not a dream.

Not long after, the sound of little footsteps running along the corridor made both mistress and servant smile. These children truly had endless energy.

The first breakfast in three years was bound to be a joyful one​.