"Yay, I won the prize!"
Yu Miaohua happily sent her address to the staff and booked round-trip tickets to the capital.
Two days ago, the Divine Maiden Museum held a lottery, with the first prize covering all expenses for a week-long trip to the capital. As long as the flights were booked through their system, the organizers would directly transfer 30,000 yuan.
Yu Miaohua’s luck was excellent—she won the top prize and decided to take the trip. Come to think of it, her name was the same as the Divine Maiden’s: Yu Miaohua. She suspected her late parents in this world had been die-hard fans of the Divine Maiden.
Ever since she transmigrated into this world, her luck had been consistently good.
Yu Miaohua had arrived here a year ago. On the very first day, she discovered that the original owner of this body shared not only her name and appearance but also her cause of death—both had died from sudden heart failure. It was tragic enough to make anyone who heard the story weep.
Compared to her original world, this one was far more technologically advanced, even boasting fully immersive virtual reality games.
After comparing historical records, Yu Miaohua found that the divergence point occurred around the Five Dynasties period. This world saw the rise of the Yong Dynasty, followed by the Min Dynasty, and then the Great Qi Dynasty. The Great Qi Dynasty was especially impressive—it defied the usual cycle of rise and fall, enduring for seven hundred years before smoothly transitioning into a constitutional monarchy that thrived to this day. Now, Great Qi was the most powerful nation in the world, with the largest territory.
Yu Miaohua was immensely relieved she hadn’t transmigrated during her school years. Otherwise, she would’ve had to relive the nightmare of college entrance exams, possibly repeating grades multiple times. On the day she arrived, to celebrate her new life, she bought a lottery ticket—and ended up winning the jackpot, taking home over 40 million yuan after taxes.
Since then, every time she bought a lottery ticket, she won something, though never as extravagantly as the first time. With financial security assured, Yu Miaohua didn’t want to keep drawing attention as a lucky outlier. She quit her job and chose to become a writer instead.
Her first novel was set in the Great Qi Dynasty, with the male lead being Pei Jingyao, the younger brother of the Great Qi Empress.
In terms of popularity from that era, the Divine Maiden and her daughter, Emperor Shizong of Qi, were undoubtedly the most revered figures, followed by Pei Lingyue and Pei Chiyan. Compared to them, Prince Jin (Pei Jingyao) seemed almost overlooked.
When writing, Yu Miaohua immediately ruled out Pei Chiyan—his devoted fanbase with the Divine Maiden was too massive, and she didn’t dare break up such a beloved pairing.
As for Pei Lingyue, he had a sizable harem, including a favored imperial consort rumored to be his true love, so he was also out of the question.
To do justice to the story, she thoroughly researched the era, immersing herself in historical records.
In her eyes, the Divine Maiden Yu Miaohua was the ultimate Mary Sue. Beautiful beyond measure, said to be heaven’s chosen, with countless miraculous deeds attributed to her. Not only was Pei Chiyan utterly devoted to her, but even her mother-in-law adored her, her grandmother-in-law doted on her excessively, and she was beloved by both court officials and commoners alike—an indisputable white moonlight of the Great Qi Dynasty.
According to some unofficial records, the Divine Maiden might have even maintained a harem of her own, though without official corroboration, it remained relegated to rumor.
If that were true, one could only say Emperor Wen of Qi must have loved her beyond reason.
For these reasons, Yu Miaohua settled on Prince Jin as her protagonist. What started as a casual pastime unexpectedly became a hit, even selling adaptation rights.
After booking her flights and hotel, Yu Miaohua sent the details to the Divine Maiden Museum’s official account. Within half a day, the 30,000 yuan reimbursement arrived—astonishingly fast!
Her trip to the capital wasn’t just for sightseeing; she also planned to meet Dangdang, a close friend she’d made through her writing.
……
"Holy shit."
The moment Dangdang saw her at their meetup in the Divine Maiden Museum, she blurted out several expletives. Dangdang was a devoted fan of the Divine Maiden—specifically, the Divine Maiden and Emperor Wen’s romantic pairing—and a moderately famous artist. The two had originally connected when Yu Miaohua commissioned her for a book cover.
Yu Miaohua tensed. "What’s wrong?"
Dangdang gaped. "Has anyone ever told you that you kinda look like the Divine Maiden?"
Yu Miaohua had no memories of the original owner’s life, so she wasn’t sure. After transmigrating, she’d mostly stayed home after quitting her job, so she had no way of knowing.
That said, on the rare occasions she went out, she had been approached by talent scouts asking if she wanted to join the entertainment industry—offers she promptly declined.
"Maybe?" Yu Miaohua replied vaguely.
When Dangdang learned her name was also Yu Miaohua, she nearly lost her mind, bouncing around excitedly before dragging her into a nine-photo shoot.
Judging by her reaction, Yu Miaohua suspected Dangdang was using her as a stand-in for her idol.
After the photos, they toured the Divine Maiden Museum together. While it housed some of the Divine Maiden’s personal artifacts, most of the exhibits were odes and poems dedicated to her by scholars across generations. Many renowned figures throughout history had openly expressed their admiration for her.
As Yu Miaohua read through them, an inexplicable sense of embarrassment welled up—likely because she shared the Divine Maiden’s name.
Ugh, I want to dig a hole and disappear!
At the center of the museum stood a statue of the Divine Maiden.
Yu Miaohua had to admit… judging by the statue, there was indeed some resemblance in their facial features. However, the Divine Maiden’s likeness was far more refined, exuding an air of serene compassion. According to historical accounts, the statue had been carved by Pei Yuheng, a prince of Great Qi who was famously—and openly—infatuated with the Divine Maiden.
Yu Miaohua couldn’t help but scoff. "Calling this ‘unrequited love’ is a stretch—it was practically public knowledge!"
Records claimed the statue didn’t even fully capture the Divine Maiden’s beauty. She couldn’t begin to imagine how breathtaking the real person must have been.
After the museum, they booked tickets to visit the Divine Maiden’s tomb in the afternoon—another popular Great Qi landmark, hence their choice of a weekday to avoid crowds.
Dangdang brought along two volumes of her self-published R-18 doujinshi featuring the Divine Maiden and Emperor Wen.
She insisted it was an offering to her idol.
If I were the Divine Maiden, I’d flip her off, Yu Miaohua thought, cringing at the absurdity of the "tribute."
After flipping through a few pages, she hastily shut the book.
Sharing a name with the Divine Maiden made the content unbearably immersive.
Ugh, this is so awkward.
At the tomb, Dangdang placed her doujinshi at the foot of the memorial, clasped her hands in prayer, and began murmuring something under her breath.
Yu Miaohua gazed at the tombstone. Death comes for everyone—even those who shine brightest must one day fade.
Herself included.
She didn’t know why she’d been given this second life, but she intended to cherish it.
Suddenly, Dangdang excused herself to use the restroom, asking Yu Miaohua to keep an eye on her books.
A short while later, footsteps approached. Assuming it was Dangdang returning, Yu Miaohua turned—only to freeze.
Before her stood a strikingly handsome man dressed in a stone-blue robe, as if he’d stepped out of an ancient painting, exuding an indescribable elegance.
Their eyes met.
Yu Miaohua’s breath caught.
His face… looked eerily similar to that of Dai Shijun, the scandal-ridden celebrity she’d foolishly idolized in her past life!
No, Dai Shijun couldn’t compare to him at all! He was clearly just a low-budget version of him.
The phrase "love at first sight" materialized in that moment.
"Miaohua, I'm back! Huh, do you two know each other?"
When Dangdang returned, she found her best friend standing next to a stunningly handsome man who could easily pass as a celebrity.
Ah, had she come at the wrong time? Was she interrupting something?
The handsome man spoke, his gaze fixed on Yu Miaohua. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she thought she caught a fleeting smile. "Did you draw this?"
Yu Miaohua instinctively glanced at Dangdang’s two explicit doujinshi—the covers alone were scandalous.
Her face instantly turned as red as a freshly boiled shrimp, and she screamed internally.
"No! It’s not mine! You’ve got the wrong idea!"
……
Yu Miaohua never expected that a simple trip to the capital and a visit to the Divine Maiden’s Tomb would result in her gaining a boyfriend—Pei Shechi.
Who knew love at first sight could actually happen to her?
But there was no helping it. Pei Shechi’s face was exactly her type—she couldn’t resist him!
With looks like his, she was definitely the lucky one.
Because of her, Pei Shechi requested a transfer from his company to X City, where Yu Miaohua lived.
He even bought the apartment right across from hers.
Admittedly, this arrangement suited Yu Miaohua perfectly. It maintained just enough distance while allowing them to get close whenever they wanted.
Due to her work, she often found inspiration at night and tended to sleep in. Every morning when she woke up, Pei Shechi had already prepared breakfast.
His office was conveniently close to their place, so they often went out for lunch together.
From what she gathered, his job involved market research, and judging by his lifestyle, his salary was probably substantial. Being able to buy the apartment outright suggested his family was well-off too.
But Yu Miaohua didn’t care about any of that. Having been given a new lease on life, she was determined to enjoy every day to the fullest.
Right now, she liked Pei Shechi, so she was dating him. Even if they broke up someday, at least she’d have had this experience—that was enough.
One thing that delighted her was Pei Shechi’s encyclopedic knowledge of Great Qi’s history.
Yu Miaohua’s new novel was about the Prince of Feng, Pei Yuheng, so she could conveniently treat her boyfriend as a walking encyclopedia—far more efficient than scouring the internet.
"Why write about him?" Pei Shechi frowned slightly. "Why not Emperor Wen of Qi? Don’t you like him?"
Yu Miaohua was surprised. "You don’t like the Prince of Feng?"
This was the first time she’d seen him display such clear dislike.
"No."
After a moment’s thought, she explained, "Because Emperor Wen belongs to the Divine Maiden. I can’t break up their pairing."
As if pleased by her answer, Pei Shechi’s expression softened, and the corners of his lips curled up. "You’re right. We can focus on developing the female lead’s character instead. For example, we could make her Wen Qingying, a descendant of the previous dynasty’s royal family, and create a love-hate dynamic."
His smile lit up the entire room.
Yu Miaohua suspected he was deliberately using his charm against her.
Ugh, smiling like that—wasn’t he just begging her to kiss him?
Fine, she’d indulge him!
She pounced on him, only to quickly find herself overpowered.
In her dazed state, a thought flashed through her mind—was Pei Shechi secretly a shipper of the Divine Maiden and Emperor Wen?
Wait, did he also ship the crack pairing of the Prince of Feng and Wen Qingying?
……
Yu Miaohua discovered Pei Shechi’s true identity a year into their relationship.
The novel she’d written, with Pei Yuheng as the male lead, became a hit and even sold its film rights.
What shocked her was how fast everything moved. Normally, even if a novel was adapted, filming would take years—especially since her protagonist was Pei Yuheng. Though the Great Qi royal family was now largely ceremonial, they still held some influence, and media involving them usually underwent multiple rounds of scrutiny.
Yet her project seemed to have a green light all the way, breezing through approvals.
A month after she signed the contract, filming began.
As the author, she was also brought on as the screenwriter, which led to her meeting the director—who, as it turned out, was a member of the Great Qi royal family. His connections were why the process had been so smooth.
The moment they met, Yu Miaohua froze.
The director’s name was Pei Sheyao, and he bore a slight resemblance to her boyfriend—though Pei Shechi was definitely more handsome. And no, that wasn’t just her bias talking.
"What’s your relationship with Pei Shechi?" she blurted out.
Pei Sheyao studied her before answering, "He’s my cousin."
Holy crap.
……
That same day, Yu Miaohua confronted her boyfriend about it.
He admitted it outright.
"I didn’t tell you earlier because I was afraid you’d reject me."
He lowered his eyes, his long lashes casting delicate shadows over his fair skin. His expression was tinged with melancholy.
"If you’d known I was from the royal family, you wouldn’t have agreed to date me, would you?"
Yu Miaohua stayed silent. He wasn’t wrong. Though the royals were mostly symbolic now, they still had plenty of rules. Even though Pei Shechi wasn’t the emperor or a prince, according to Pei Sheyao, he managed 30% of the Pei family’s assets.
The weight of that realization pressed down on her.
Pei Shechi’s voice carried a hint of sorrow. "I knew it. You never really liked me that much. From the start, you just pitied me and couldn’t say no."
Yu Miaohua couldn’t bear to see him like this. "That’s not true! I do love you!"
"So you won’t break up with me?"
"Never. Unless someone tries to tear us apart."
Pei Shechi interlaced their fingers, holding her hand tightly. "I won’t let that happen."
After a brief pause, he added, "But just in case my family tries to cut me off financially to force a breakup, I’ll transfer my assets to your name first. That way, even if we leave the family, we won’t have to worry about money."
Huh?
That was an option?
Two weeks later, Yu Miaohua stared at the documents listing billions in assets now under her name, feeling lightheaded.
Every contract explicitly stated they were voluntary gifts.
Her boyfriend really must love her to an insane degree.
He… he was way too easy to fool! Wasn’t he afraid she’d run off with all his money?
Half a month later, the "someone" trying to tear them apart arrived.
Yu Miaohua met Pei Shechi’s mother.
Mrs. Pei was elegant and youthful, looking nothing like a woman with a 26-year-old son.
Standing before her, Yu Miaohua was nervous—but also a little excited.
Would Mrs. Pei pull a classic drama move and slap down a multi-million check, demanding she leave Pei Shechi?
If she did, Yu Miaohua would insist it had to be a voluntary gift!
Mrs. Pei studied her. "So you’re Shechi’s girlfriend?"
"Yes." Yu Miaohua braced for the check.
Honestly, she was kind of looking forward to it. If it happened, she’d take the money and run off with Shechi! Though, given his status, shouldn’t the check be at least a hundred million? Her mind wandered.
Mrs. Pei leaned forward slightly, her smile warm. "Since you’re Shechi’s girlfriend, that makes you my daughter now."
"Come on, call me Mom."
There wasn’t a trace of disgust or disdain on her face—only pure anticipation and affection.
Yu Miaohua: "??"
Huh?
Had her check just flown away?
Actually, Yu Miaohua had died suddenly, transmigrated to Great Qi, and then transmigrated again to the modern era. Though, for now, her memories of Great Qi were sealed away.
