Volume One, Chapter Seventeen: The Breaking Point

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Gui Shen, acting on an inexplicable impulse, took the item from her hand. Opening it, he found several small round biscuits. The edges were slightly crumbly, accompanied by a faint milky aroma. It had been a long time since he had seen these; his grandparents used to treat him like a child, soothing him with biscuits whether he was happy or sad. But these were expensive treats, not even guaranteed to be found in the county supply store. How had Yu Nian’an come by them? Judging by the scattered crumbs, they must have been kept for quite a while, clearly treasured and not eaten casually. Gui Shen looked into her eyes, his expression softening involuntarily, and handed the biscuits back to her. “Keep them for yourself.” Yu Nian’an didn’t take them. She had seen the brief joy in his eyes when he first spotted the biscuits and assumed he liked them. Carrying a basin in one hand and a basket in the other, she stood and headed toward the kitchen. She left behind only these words: “Eat them soon. It’s still early before lunch. Consider it part of the thanks for lending me the ticket yesterday.” Gui Shen sat on the ground, a little conflicted, but eventually accepted them. Leaning against the eaves pillar, he gazed toward the kitchen and put a biscuit into his mouth.

Back in the kitchen, Yu Nian’an rested her hands on the edge of the basin, recalling the words she had just spoken and feeling a bit guilty. She had taken something given to her by Brother Yu and handed it over to Gui Shen, even calling it a token of thanks. Fortunately, she had added “part of,” which made it less presumptuous. She placed the bracken into the pot and lit the fire to blanch it. Taking advantage of the moment, Yu Nian’an stepped outside to check on the progress of the well digging. Gui Shen had already eaten the biscuits, but the greaseproof paper was nowhere to be found. She looked around but saw no trace of it.

Both of them walked to the well. Uncle Jianping had chosen a good spot; the soil was easy to dig through, with no large rocks obstructing the way. The two brothers worked efficiently, and the pit was already half a person’s depth. The earth scooped out was being carried up in baskets and piled in the corner of the yard. Uncle Jianping spread the soil evenly with a shovel. “Uncle, what are you doing?” Yu Nian’an asked curiously. “Your aunt said you wanted to start a little garden in the yard,” Uncle Jianping explained. “This fresh soil is perfect for laying down as a base layer.” He then used the shovel to carve out drainage channels around the area. Now, they just needed to sprinkle a layer of fertile topsoil and base fertilizer to grow vegetables. Just like Aunt Chunxing said, it was a simple, handy thing. Lin Zhi overheard their conversation and came over with a hint of envy. “It’s really nice to have your own yard.”

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She might not have mentioned it, but once she did, Yu Nian’an’s heart tightened again, as if her little garden was about to be lost. She forced out a dry laugh and decided it was better to remain silent. Nearby, Ye Xiao teased, “Don’t tell me you want a garden too. After a day’s work, you’ll be complaining about backaches all the way home. Better just rest.” Lin Zhi blushed at his words and retorted, “You’re no different!” After speaking, she glanced at Yu Nian’an, who remained calm, then turned to scold Ye Xiao, “You’re trying to embarrass me and expose my weaknesses!” Ye Xiao dodged skillfully as she swung at him. The two chased each other around the yard, and Yu Nian’an watched with a touch of envy. Before transmigrating into this body, she, like the original owner, had no friends—not because of her personality, but because she was always busy with work, frequently traveling, either on the road or catching up on sleep, leaving no time to maintain friendships. Gui Shen stood beside her but paid no attention to their playfulness.

At noon, Uncle Jianping took his two nephews home as usual. Lin Zhi and the others played in the yard for a while before returning to the youth work station. Once everyone left, the surroundings suddenly fell silent. Yu Nian’an stood in the yard, lost in thought for a moment, then went to the kitchen to retrieve the soaked bracken, preparing lunch. It was broad daylight, and since Uncle Jianping and the others would be back soon, she didn’t close the yard gate. The smoke from the kitchen fire attracted the attention of a passerby in the distance.

Yu Dingguo had been pondering lately on what had gone wrong to cause Yu Nian’an to suddenly change her attitude. The IOU he held was for money he had scraped together from various sources, and it would need to be repaid on time. Today was a rest day, and since it was midday, few people would be around the village. With repayment due in just a few days, Yu Dingguo’s mind grew restless. He looked around and then started walking in that direction. After a few steps, he saw the tall yellow clay walls of the courtyard. The once dilapidated little yard was now completely transformed; Yu Dingguo momentarily thought he had taken a wrong turn. Approaching the gate and peering inside, he noticed the pile of tools and realized Yu Nian’an had hired someone to repair it. “Ugh, wasting money on this instead of giving it to me,” he thought, and entering without hesitation since the gate was open.

Inside the kitchen, the water in the pot was boiling. Yu Nian’an suddenly remembered she hadn’t rinsed the rice, so she carried the basin outside to wash it by the water barrel. Uncle Jianping had said the newly cultivated garden would need multiple waterings to moisten the soil. Naturally, the rice wash water wouldn’t be wasted—it was all just a matter of convenience.

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As she stepped outside, she immediately spotted that infuriating figure in the yard. Thinking of the things he had done to the original owner in her dreams, she asked coldly, “What are you doing here?” Yu Dingguo looked up at Yu Nian’an. The girl had once always slouched, her face pale and malnourished-looking. But after some time apart, her aura had changed; even her delicate little face now seemed refined, almost like a city lady, on par with those new educated youths. Yu Dingguo stepped forward with ill intent. “An-meizi, after all, I’m your cousin. Won’t you invite me in for a visit?” His tone and expression set off alarm bells in Yu Nian’an’s mind. Her gaze hardened. Grabbing the basin, she returned to the kitchen, snatched a brightly burning wooden stick from the stove, and returned to point it at him, glaring fiercely. “Get out of here! You’re not welcome in my home!” Yu Dingguo hadn’t expected her sudden ferocity. He stepped back, both shocked and angry. “What are you doing, little sister? We’re family. It’s not right to talk to me like that.” Yu Nian’an sneered, “I think you’re not family to me, only to the money!” Seeing he still lingered in the yard, she boldly swung the burning stick toward him. Yu Dingguo tried to dodge but was too slow, and the flames singed his arm. “Ow!” he cried out in pain, his face contorted. The two had now completely torn apart their relationship. Having his little schemes exposed, Yu Dingguo’s eyes darkened, and he dropped the pretense. “Wretched woman, I’ve been too kind to you!” But he still feared the burning stick—getting burned was no joke. “I’ll let you off today, but since you took the money, don’t expect a peaceful life!” With those harsh words, he fled the small yard in haste. Seeing him leave, Yu Nian’an quickly went to close the door. The wooden stick fell to the ground, sparks flying, and her tightly clenched hand began to tremble uncontrollably. She had almost lost her resolve.