【1960s Boxer Xiang Qianlan: What great news! Didn’t you want a child but were infertile? Now you don’t even need your dad’s help—you can have one yourself, and it’ll definitely be your own flesh and blood! Congratulations are in order!】
【Ancient World Xu Huanhuan: Absolutely, congratulations. Let me know when the baby’s due—I’ll chip in five bucks and put it on Qiao Yisi’s tab.】
【Primitive World Ah Huahua: Since Sister Huanhuan’s contributing, I’ll pitch in too. Put it on Qiao Yisi’s tab.】
【Stellar Wanderer Yao Xiran: Seconded.】
【Domineering CEO Villainess Ye Bingbing: Seconded.】
Lin Xi’s reply came right after: 【Earth Girl Lin Xi: Seconded.】
Not wanting to be left out, Lin Duxi chimed in: 【Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland Lin Duxi: Congrats to the ex-husband. Hope he has a Beta.】
Seeing Lin Duxi speak up, Chu Qianmo, one of the only two men in the group, felt compelled to join: 【Wife-Slaying Cultivator Chu Qianmo: @ABO Family Crossover Wen Wan, I’ve got some prenatal medicine here. Free of charge if you need it.】
Wen Wan replied instantly: 【ABO Family Crossover Wen Wan: Honestly, I might actually need that prenatal medicine.】
Wen Wan had known Zhao Xuanqi for over two years now, and she thought she understood him well. Beneath his gentle exterior, he was deeply traditional.
He drew a clear line between what men and women should do—housework, for example, was strictly a woman’s domain in his mind. He wouldn’t lift a finger for it.
And childbirth? That was undeniably a woman’s duty. Now, forced into a position where he had to submit to another man, the last thing he’d want was to carry a child himself.
Forcing him to bear a child would be like trampling his pride underfoot. Sure, he’d desperately wanted kids before the transmigration—but wanting kids and carrying them yourself were two entirely different things.
Chu Qianmo wasted no time. He sent the prenatal medicine to Lin Xi, who then passed it to Wen Wan. Wen Wan stored it directly in her dimensional pocket.
Right now, Wen Wan would give anything to sneak into the Planetary Lord’s residence. Zhao Xuanqi’s expression must be absolutely priceless.
Meanwhile, in the Planetary Lord’s residence, Zhao Xuanqi sat on his bed, face dark with fury. It had only been half a month since he’d been with Qiao Yisi, and yet—he was pregnant.
The absurdity of it all gnawed at him. Him, a man, pregnant? How was this possible?
Sure, he knew this was an ABO world, where Omegas, regardless of gender, could bear children. But that had always felt distant, like some abstract concept. Even after sleeping with Qiao Yisi night after night, he’d never imagined this would happen to him.
His hand drifted to his stomach. A child was growing inside him—the child he’d always wanted. But he felt no joy. The child he’d dreamed of was supposed to come from someone else’s womb, not his own.
The door slammed open. Zhao Xuelian stormed in, her face twisted with rage and envy. Zhao Xuanqi’s disappointment in his sister ran deep.
He’d always treated her well. Back when he was fresh out of college, scraping by on a meager intern’s salary, he’d still spared a few hundred extra for her monthly allowance.
After graduation, she refused to work, lazing around at home and demanding money whenever she ran out. Because she was family—his only sister—he’d never reprimanded her.
Whenever she clashed with Wen Wan, he’d always taken her side. And yet, after transmigrating, she’d become his fiercest adversary, descending into outright madness.
“What do you want?” Two months had eroded whatever sibling affection remained between them.
Zhao Xuelian glared at her older brother, whose good looks and competence had always outshone her. “What, can’t I visit my own brother’s room?”
The Zhao family had always favored sons over daughters. From childhood, Zhao Xuelian had been drilled with the idea that everything belonged to her brother—she wasn’t to compete. She hated it. Every time their mother said as much, she’d retaliate by demanding things from Zhao Xuanqi—toys and treats as a child, money as an adult.
His indulgence only made her bolder. When their parents transferred the family home to Zhao Xuanqi’s name after his marriage, her resentment boiled over.
So she refused to work, leeching off her brother and provoking Wen Wan whenever their parents scolded her. Before transmigration, Wen Wan had borne the brunt of their family’s quarrels—seven out of ten fights had been stirred up by Zhao Xuelian. She took perverse pride in it.
After transmigrating to this interstellar world, where Zhao Xuanqi could now bear children just like her, Zhao Xuelian was thrilled. Her brother had always been their parents’ favorite just because he was male.
Even after it came out that he was infertile—unable to even ejaculate—his privileges hadn’t changed. Why? Just because he was a man? Even if she could bear children, she’d never measure up?
She refused to accept that. But now, in this world, Zhao Xuanqi was just like her—a vessel for someone else’s offspring.
She’d laughed when she first realized it—until it hit her. Her parents and brother were all rare Omegas. And all four of them were now vying for the favor of Planetary Lord Qiao Yisi.
Only by winning Qiao Yisi’s selection could they claim dominion over this planet. For Zhao Xuelian, Du Ermei, and Zhao Mushan, this was an opportunity they eagerly embraced.
Zhao Mushan, in particular, had always dreamed of power. Now, all it took was sleeping with a man to gain control of an entire planet? He’d do it in a heartbeat. If five bushels of rice weren’t enough to make a man bow, fifty—or five hundred—certainly would.
Since transmigrating, Zhao Mushan had fantasized nightly about usurping Qiao Yisi and ruling M248 himself.
Zhao Xuelian and Du Ermei’s motives were simpler: a husband meant security. Qiao Yisi might not be much to look at, but he owned a planet.
In other words, he was just like an emperor in ancient times. And due to the unique nature of ABO dynamics, he could only have one Omega in his lifetime. Zhao Xuelian wanted this husband for herself.
Zhao Xuelian didn’t have grand ambitions—she just wanted a life free from want. But even this simple wish was something her parents and her brother couldn’t grant her. They insisted on competing with her. Zhao Xuelian hated them for it, especially her brother, who acted all high and mighty. He had no qualms accepting gifts from Qiao Yisi, and just when Qiao Yisi was about to mark her, her brother turned around and climbed into Qiao Yisi’s bed.
Not long after, he got pregnant, sending Qiao Yisi into raptures. The news was even announced publicly online! Now the entire M248 planet knew that Zhao Xuanqi had become the planet’s consort. This made Zhao Xuelian so furious she could spit blood.
After much deliberation, Zhao Xuelian couldn’t hold back any longer and stormed over to confront him.
Zhao Xuanqi stared coldly at Zhao Xuelian. "If you have nothing important to say, get out."
Zhao Xuelian refused to budge, plopping down on the sofa instead. "I’m not leaving. Zhao Xuanqi, are you feeling guilty? Qiao Yisi clearly said he wanted to be with me, so how did you end up in his bed? Do you have any idea how despicable and shameless you are?"
Taking in the lavish decor—far more extravagant than her own room—Zhao Xuelian’s eyes burned with envy. "What, did your impotence drive you insane? Where’s your dignity as a man? Does being with another man fill the void in your twisted heart?"
Du Ermei wasn’t exactly a refined person—when she argued, she went straight for the dirtiest insults, aiming for the most painful spots. Zhao Xuelian had learned from the best.
There was no doubt that his impotence was Zhao Xuanqi’s greatest shame. If he had been capable, he wouldn’t have married Wen Wan—he believed his status deserved better. If he had been capable, he wouldn’t have let his own father sleep with his wife. What kind of man willingly put a cuckold’s hat on his own head?
If he had been capable, his family wouldn’t have ended up brawling and getting transported to this godforsaken world.
"Zhao Xuelian, have I been too lenient with you? Get out." Zhao Xuanqi’s face flushed with rage.
The transmigration had refined his complexion, leaving him even paler than before. He had always had delicate, almost effeminate features, but now, with his slender, frail frame, the red flush on his face gave him an unsettlingly alluring beauty. These past few days with Qiao Yisi, the man had taken great pleasure in leaving such vivid, suggestive marks on Zhao Xuanqi’s fair skin.
They were siblings from the same parents, yet Zhao Xuelian had never been as good-looking as Zhao Xuanqi. Even after the transmigration altered their bodies, she still didn’t measure up. Back on Earth, it hadn’t mattered—his good looks didn’t affect her, and if anything, they gave her a sense of superiority.
But now, they were rivals. Seeing Zhao Xuanqi’s beautiful face, Zhao Xuelian couldn’t hide her jealousy. "I’m not leaving. What, did I hit a nerve?"
She began ranting wildly. "Did it feel good, handing your wife over to another man? Are you some kind of cuckold fetishist? If she hadn’t gotten pregnant, would you have kept passing her around?"
The memory of sending his wife to his own father’s bed was the most humiliating, powerless moment of Zhao Xuanqi’s life—a black mark he desperately wanted to bury.
The look he gave Zhao Xuelian now was murderous.
Seeing him seething only made Zhao Xuelian smirk. "I’ve always wanted to say this—you’re vile. Absolutely shameless. A bully. If I were Wen Wan, I’d have chopped you all to pieces long ago."
Zhao Xuelian never claimed to be a good person. After Wen Wan married into their family, she had bullied her too—but at least she had some basic decency. The worst she did was enjoy seeing Wen Wan scolded a few times. But Zhao Xuanqi and the others? They were monsters, delighting in tormenting her.
When Zhao Xuanqi and the others discussed having his father impregnate Wen Wan, Zhao Xuelian had thought they were beyond disgraceful. But back then, her loyalty lay with the Zhao family, so she kept quiet. Now, things were different. She could say whatever she wanted—she didn’t need her parents or brother anymore.
Zhao Xuanqi had had enough of his sister. He stood and strode toward her, hand raised to strike. Zhao Xuelian didn’t flinch, tilting her chin up defiantly.
With every step, Zhao Xuanqi’s vision darkened. Before he could reach her, he collapsed. The servants outside paled, shouting into their wrist comms as they rushed inside.
Zhao Xuelian knew just how much Qiao Yisi valued the child in Zhao Xuanqi’s belly. Her face drained of color. Moments later, Qiao Yisi arrived with his entourage.
After carrying Zhao Xuanqi to bed, Qiao Yisi turned an icy gaze on Zhao Xuelian and spoke to one of his subordinates. "This Omega is yours now. Keep her in line."
The man beside Qiao Yisi was Dong Guiliang, an A-rank Alpha born into a commoner family. Without power or connections, he had little future in the military, so he chose to serve as a guard on M248.
Though Planet Lord Qiao Yisi was of a lower rank, that didn’t matter—the benefits were good enough.
Dong Guiliang had originally planned to save up here before heading to the Black Star to rent an Omega and have a child.
When Qiao Yisi had picked up those four Omegas, Dong Guiliang had briefly considered snatching one for himself. But after weighing the risks, he decided against it.
One Omega wasn’t worth throwing away his future. But now, Qiao Yisi was giving him one? Dong Guiliang was so elated he nearly fainted.
He had never thanked Qiao Yisi so fervently. Once dismissed, he grinned and advanced toward Zhao Xuelian.
Zhao Xuelian backed away, shaking her head. She was pragmatic—before transmigrating, she had held out for a wealthy, powerful man.
But men like that either ignored her or only saw her as a plaything, never serious about commitment.
After transmigrating, her goal remained the same. She would only marry someone rich and influential, which was why she had set her sights on Qiao Yisi from the start.
Now that Qiao Yisi was out of reach, she was confident that her status as a rare Omega would still land her a high-ranking match.
What does Dong Guiliang have to offer? He’s just a mere guard in the planetary lord’s mansion. Even if Qiao Yisi gives him generous benefits, he’s still nothing more than a servant—how could he possibly be worthy of her?
She glanced at Qiao Yisi, whose face was dark with displeasure. The usual gentleness in his gaze was gone, and Zhao Xuelian’s heart sank instantly.
Dong Guiliang had been single for decades, and now he finally had an Omega—a young, delicate-looking one at that. To avoid any complications, he moved swiftly, scooping Zhao Xuelian into his arms and marking her without hesitation.
Just as Zhao Xuanqi couldn’t refuse Qiao Yisi, Zhao Xuelian was powerless to resist Dong Guiliang.
Once the marking was done, Dong Guiliang turned to Qiao Yisi.
Dong Guiliang was the highest-ranking and most formidable Alpha in the planetary lord’s mansion. In the past, Qiao Yisi had relied on lavish salaries to win their loyalty. Though Dong Guiliang maintained a respectful facade, his pride ran deep.
Having served Qiao Yisi for three years, this was the first time Dong Guiliang showed a submissive smile. Qiao Yisi spoke to him in a gentle tone, “Go ahead.”
Dong Guiliang lifted Zhao Xuelian into his arms and carried her straight to an unoccupied room in the lord’s mansion, eager to complete the bond by knotting her.
By evening, Zhao Xuelian—now deeply marked—lay weak and sore as Dong Guiliang carried her out of the mansion.
He had his own residence outside the estate, built on land he’d requested from Qiao Yisi.
It was located near the main city district, close to the Federal military barracks.
Coincidentally, Wen Wan had also moved out of the slums and rented a place nearby.
She was no longer the same Wen Wan who had been chased out like a stray by the planetary lord’s forces. Her sensational novels had gained immense popularity on the StarNet, earning her enough to live comfortably.
With Qiao Yisi still keeping a tight watch on the spaceport, Wen Wan saw no urgency in leaving.
Though her newfound wealth hadn’t yet granted her access to the world’s cutting-edge technology, she used M248’s local specialties to repay her friends in the group chat.
The planet’s unique offerings included oddly colored but delicious fruits, as well as abundant deposits of gold and jadeite.
However, in the interstellar era, gold and jade had lost their value as hard currency—they were too common, found in abundance on nearly every planet.
Mass mining had flooded the market, making gold, silver, and jadeite ubiquitous in shops and supermarkets. Only the highest-quality jadeite could fetch a decent price.
With money to spare, Wen Wan bought only the finest, ensuring each member of the group received a fair share.
Xu Huanhuan received a piece of violet jadeite, a color symbolizing nobility in ancient times. After acquiring it, she designed an elaborate hair ornament and enlisted her elder brother to craft it into an exquisite headpiece.
At a flower-viewing banquet hosted by the princess, Xu Huanhuan caught the royal’s eye with her emerald crystal hairpin.
Soon after, she was summoned to the palace to meet the empress herself.
The empress and emperor shared a deep bond, and no matter how furious the emperor became, she could always calm him.
Known for her love of jadeite, the empress saw Xu Huanhuan’s request for a divorce as trivial—especially since she was in the right.
With the empress’s promise secured, Xu Huanhuan began preparing for the separation, backed fully by her family.
What use was a faithless man?
Lin Xi received a piece of emerald-green jadeite, which she stored in her space, planning to sell it later in Teng City—a global hub for jadeite trade where prices peaked.
She also had a purple gemstone from Ahua, which she intended to fashion into a necklace and bracelet. The craftsmanship in Teng City would be perfect for it.
After moving to the main district, Wen Wan’s life became more convenient, allowing her to focus on writing. Her only pastime was gathering intel on Zhao Xuanqi’s family.
To this end, she spent two days’ worth of earnings bribing a procurement worker in the planetary lord’s mansion.
As for the happenings next door at Zhao Xuelian’s home, Wen Wan knew every detail. After all, the beta women Dong Guiliang hired to attend to Zhao Xuelian were from the slums—a little extra money bought any information.
She shared every juicy update with her group chat.
[Wen Wan, "ABO Family Across Worlds": After Zhao Xuelian was gifted to Dong Guiliang, Qiao Yisi’s guard captain, Zhao Xuanqi’s mother, Du Ermei, was also handed over—this time to Xu Chengshuo, M248’s wealthiest merchant.]
[Xu Chengshuo is 180 years old. With an average ABO lifespan of 200, he’s already more than halfway to the grave. His genes are flawed—despite a constant rotation of Omegas, none have borne him a child.]
[His inability to reproduce has driven him to extremes. According to a contact on StarNet, Xu Chengshuo is even blacklisted by Black Star.]
Every world has its dark underbelly, and the ABO universe is no exception. With Alphas vastly outnumbering Omegas, and Betas reproductively incompatible, the imbalance is stark. An Omega can only be marked by one Alpha.
So what are the surplus Alphas to do—remain celibate forever? Demand birthed Black Star, an organization supplying drugs that allow Omegas to be temporarily marked by multiple Alphas.
These drugs ravage Omega bodies but are harmless—even beneficial—to Alphas.
Black Star controls tens of thousands of Omegas, all abducted or trafficked from across the galaxy. For unmatched Alphas, their life’s goal is saving enough to rent an Omega and sire a child.
The entire Federation knows of Black Star’s existence and the horrific conditions its Omegas endure—treated as nothing more than breeding stock.
The Federation’s Alpha-dominated leadership turns a blind eye. Why? Because without Black Star, the surplus of unmated Alphas would incite chaos.
For the greater good, the ruling Alphas sacrifice the few.
Black Star caters to the masses, but even they blacklist clients—those too depraved to tolerate.
Xu Chengshuo is one such monster.
【Family Transmigration ABO Wen Wan: I think Xu Chengshuo and Du Ermei are a perfect match! Didn’t Du Ermei always say that people who can’t bear children are sinners? She told me more than once that women who can’t have children are committing a grave sin—in the past, they would’ve been beaten or crippled, and no one would’ve cared.】
【After finding out it was Zhao Xuanqi who was infertile, Du Ermei told me that a man without a son would be ridiculed his whole life. She said I should be smart and give her man a grandson so I could walk with my head held high in public.】
【Not only that, she even egged Zhao Xuanqi on to beat me. She told him that disobedient women need to be beaten. The reason I was so rebellious, she said, was because I hadn’t been hit enough.】
【She claimed that once I was beaten into submission, I’d do whatever they wanted—bear children with whoever they chose, obey every command.】
Wen Wan’s lips curled into a cold smirk. There’s an old saying: women shouldn’t make life harder for other women. But the truth is, sometimes the worst cruelty a woman faces doesn’t come from men—it comes from other women.
Take Wen Wan, for example. During the year she lived with the Zhao family, the most verbal and physical abuse she endured came from Du Ermei and Zhao Xuelian.
If Wen Wan hadn’t been strong-willed and resilient, the daily torment would’ve either broken her spirit or driven her to a mental breakdown.
【Family Transmigration ABO Wen Wan: Karma’s a bitch. Every cruel word she threw at me will come back to haunt her.】
【Earth Girl Lin Xi: The life Du Ermei’s about to live is exactly what she deserves.】
【Sixties Boxer Xiang Qianlan: I wish I could send my idiot mother-in-law to keep your mother-in-law company. Does she not realize the situation between me and her son? Or is it because I’ve been too nice lately, making her forget her place? This morning, she actually had the nerve to pressure me about having kids!】
Xiang Qianlan was stunned. Ever since transmigrating into this godforsaken melodrama, she’d sworn to repay every ounce of suffering the original protagonist endured—with interest—to Qin Aiguo and his mother.
She’d had it all planned out, but then Qin Aiguo turned out to be a masochist. Hitting him only made him happier, which infuriated her even more.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, Widow Liu—whom Xiang Qianlan had been disciplining—had also grown bolder. Now, even beating her up barely fazed her.
Xiang Qianlan had originally planned to wait out the chaos in that little mountain village, but these two freaks were making her reconsider.
Before saying this, Xiang Qianlan had just finished teaching Widow Liu a lesson. Not only had the woman nagged her about kids earlier, but while washing clothes by the river, she’d gossiped to the other busybodies, calling Xiang Qianlan a "barren hen."
Xiang Qianlan didn’t hold back—she kicked Widow Liu straight into the water.
Oh, Widow Liu could lay eggs, could she? Why not pop out a whole nest every day?
After seeing Du Ermei’s "happy life," Xiang Qianlan genuinely wanted to send Widow Liu to join her: 【Sixties Boxer Xiang Qianlan: Your mother-in-law’s living her dream life now. She must be thrilled.】
Her deadpan delivery lightened the mood in the group chat.
Lin Xi asked: 【Earth Girl Lin Xi: @Family Transmigration ABO Wen Wan, what about your father-in-law?】
Wen Wan’s lips twitched into a smile before she even finished reading: 【Family Transmigration ABO Wen Wan: Oh, he’s "waiting in the boudoir." Compared to women, Qiao Yisi prefers men. Right now, he’s just waiting for Zhao Xuanqi to give birth.】
【If Zhao Xuanqi delivers an Alpha, everyone wins. But if it’s a Beta or Omega? Qiao Yisi will temporarily remove his mark from Zhao Xuanqi and let Zhao Mushan bear the next one.】
Like they say, an Alpha can only mark one Omega—but money moves mountains. Qiao Yisi is rich enough that no price is too high to secure his lineage.
Wen Wan’s words left the group in stunned silence.
【Earth Girl Lin Xi: Holy shit. The Zhao father-son duo just got hit by their own boomerang!】
【Ancient World Xu Huanhuan: Literally. Isn’t this just poetic justice? They wanted Wan Wan to bear children for the Zhao family. Now, father and son are both breeding for the Qiao family.】
【Different paths, same destination. Ngl, I ship it.】
【Villainess CEO Ye Bingbing: Shipping everything keeps me well-fed. I sincerely hope Mr. Zhao Xuanqi delivers eight babies in one go—all Betas. And may Mr. Zhao Mushan birth ten—all Omegas.】
【Primitive World A Huahua: Qianlan-jie, Huanhuan-jie, Bingbing-jie—y’all are my cross-dimensional mouthpieces! I’ll light incense for you, praying the transmigration gods make it happen.】
Lin Duxi and Chu Qianmo stared at Ye Bingbing’s "eight babies in one go" comment, their pupils shaking.
Unable to hold back, Chu Qianmo typed: 【Wife-Slaying Daoist Chu Qianmo: Human bellies are only so big. Eight or ten babies at once—wouldn’t they be the size of rats?】
Lin Xi shuddered, recalling those absurd web novels where the FL gives birth to litters like some mythical fertility goddess.
【Earth Girl Lin Xi: @Wife-Slaying Daoist Chu Qianmo, don’t question it. This is the optimal reproductive method for gentlemen like Zhao Xuanqi and Zhao Mushan. Even rat-sized babies are their just deserts.】
Chu Qianmo wisely shut up. He hadn’t meant to defend the Zhaos—he was genuinely curious.
Lin Duxi watched Chu Qianmo get roasted and smirked. If Xiang Qianlan, Xu Huanhuan, and Ye Bingbing were A Huahua’s mouthpieces, then Chu Qianmo was his.
Best to let him ask the risky questions first.
Wen Wan chuckled at her friends’ antics. In this unfamiliar world, their camaraderie warmed her heart.
After chatting awhile, Lin Xi hurried offline—today was pig-slaughtering day at her home.
The event took place right on the street, where a brick stove held a cauldron of boiling water. The whole village gathered as Lin Dajiang and the men wrestled her family’s 300-pound hog, tied its legs to a thick wooden pole, and carried it out.
The pig squealed bloody murder the entire way.
Yue and Fang were both at home, the two sisters holding hands as they happily ran around with their newly acquainted village friends.
Chi Xiangping was in the kitchen stir-frying the spices needed for curing the pork—salt, Sichuan peppercorns, cardamom, and cinnamon—preparing them for making preserved meat later.
Yao Yuran sat by the hearth with Lin Xi’s aunt, washing freshly cut palm leaves before tearing them into thin strips. These would later be used to string up the cured meat.
Lin Xi stayed close to the butcher, ready to assist at any moment.
The butcher they had invited was Uncle Ma from the village, who lived next door to Lin Xi’s family. In his younger days, he had worked at a slaughterhouse. Though he no longer did that, every year during the New Year season, households would call on him to slaughter their pigs.
The moment blood spurted from the pig’s neck, Lin Xi immediately handed over a red envelope.
This was a local custom—slaughtering an animal was considered an act of killing, so it was necessary to give the person wielding the knife a red envelope for good fortune. Otherwise, it would bring bad luck to both the butcher and the host family.
The amount inside the envelope varied. Well-off families might give 66 or 88 yuan, while those less fortunate might offer 22 or 33. Uncle Ma was always happy regardless.
Once the blood was fully drained, the pig was plunged into a pot of boiling water. A group of people then took kitchen knives to scald and scrape off the bristles.
Nearly the entire village had gathered here, chatting and snacking on sunflower seeds while standing around. Those who couldn’t sit still went inside to help Chi Xiangping and the others with the work.
Da Mingbao also arrived, carrying several sections of black-skinned sugarcane. She handed one to Lin Xi and passed others to Fang and Yue. The four of them began munching on the sweet, tender sugarcane.
The sun was warm and bright today, casting a cozy glow over everyone. Of course, the UV rays were also strong—Fang and Yue, who never bothered with sunscreen, had tanned quite a bit.
Lin Xi and Da Mingbao, on the other hand, had applied sunscreen and weren’t the least bit bothered by the winter sun.
While Lin Xi’s household was bustling with the lively pig slaughtering, the atmosphere was relaxed. But thousands of miles away in Beijing, Professor Gu Anbang—whose name had caught Lin Xi’s eye and led to him being repeatedly roped into her schemes—was undergoing yet another round of scrutiny.
Five days earlier, he had received a package with the sender’s name listed as "Comrade Lei Feng."
At first, Professor Gu Anbang didn’t think much of it when he opened the package and found two children’s smartwatches that looked no different from those sold in stores.
But the moment he examined them closely, his expression changed. He immediately called security.
And so, the investigation began. Ever since the appearance of the "Red Scarf Student," Professor Gu Anbang’s social connections had been thoroughly vetted—no exaggeration, even details like which suitors his great-grandmother had met in her youth had been dug up.
Having devoted his life to scientific research for the nation, Gu Anbang had imagined his post-retirement days would involve leisurely reading newspapers and sipping tea. Who could have predicted things would only get more intense?
These days, his life was a mix of pain and exhilaration.
The affairs of the "Red Scarf Student" and "Comrade Lei Feng" were no secret in academic circles. His old colleagues and friends had been eyeing him with envy and frustration lately.
They simply couldn’t understand—why, out of all the professors and researchers, had these mysterious benefactors chosen Gu Anbang as their contact? Their own achievements in science were no less impressive than his.
The more they thought about it, the more irritated they became. Gu Anbang had been under such scrutiny from his peers that he half-expected them to take shifts watching him even while he slept.
Yet, despite everything, he was happy. Before fully retiring, he had the privilege of witnessing cutting-edge technology being developed by his country’s scientists—technology that would strengthen the nation and improve people’s lives.
For a researcher, that was the greatest romance of all.
If the core technology of those smartwatches could be mastered, it wouldn’t just be limited to children’s wearables. It could be integrated into countless other applications, making it nearly impossible for human traffickers to operate.
The anti-abduction system alone could save tens of thousands of families.
Thinking about the far-reaching impact of this technology, Gu Anbang had no complaints, even if it meant enduring another investigation.
After mailing the smartwatches, Lin Xi didn’t give the matter another thought. Once the pig was slaughtered and before the feast began, she carried two trotters and a slab of premium pork belly to her third aunt’s house.
Her aunt had specifically called that morning to request them—her future daughter-in-law was coming the next day for the betrothal gifts ceremony, and tradition required the groom’s family to prepare a lavish meal.
Since her aunt hadn’t yet slaughtered her own pig, she bought the meat from Lin Xi’s family. Home-raised pork always tasted better than store-bought.
For convenience and warmth during the winter, Lin Xi had given up her electric scooter and bought a used SUV instead.
It cost her 70,000 yuan. Though it was an older model, it ran well and was more than enough for daily use.
Along the roadside, rapeseed plants had sprouted, their tender green leaves stretching across the fields. Though the greenery hadn’t yet fully covered the soil, the vast swathes of green lifted the spirits.
After delivering the meat, Lin Xi didn’t linger and headed straight home. As soon as she entered the village, the rich aroma of food greeted her.
In the yard, a makeshift stove was frying garlic shoots with pork belly, while a neighboring wok sizzled with spicy stir-fried liver. Further down, a pot of blood tofu simmered, and Lin Xi watched as her aunt tossed in a basket of fresh chives, intensifying the fragrance.
"Lin Xi, what are you standing around for? Come help set the tables! And scoop two basins of rice—we’re about to eat!"
"Coming!" Lin Xi called back, joining the flurry of activity.
When the meal began, she slipped into the kitchen, packed eight portions of the untouched dishes, and sent them to her group chat friends, letting them share in the joy.
Southern-style slaughter feasts were different from northern ones. Xu Huanhuan, Ye Bingbing, Lin Duxi, and Ah Huahua found it all fascinating.
Xiang Qianlan had never tasted such a feast either and enjoyed every dish, though she found some a bit too spicy.
Yao Xiran, Wen Wan, and Chu Qianmo savored the nostalgic flavors of their distant homeland across time and space.
The day was hectic for Lin Xi’s family. By the time all the cured meat was hung in the loft above the kitchen, it was already 2 a.m.
Exhausted, Lin Xi quickly washed up and collapsed into bed.
In the middle of the night, Lin Xi's phone began vibrating incessantly, jolting her awake. She blinked her eyes open and reached for the device—4:00 AM. That meant she had barely slept for two hours.
She tapped on the wildly flashing group chat, and the first message immediately caught her attention:
[Qin Suyuan, the switched-at-birth real heiress of the Lexi family: Help me, please help me.]
The vibrations finally stopped, followed by a system notification popping up on Lin Xi's screen:
[System Alert: Group member 'Lin Xi, Earth Girl' has received a distress call from 'Qin Suyuan, the switched-at-birth real heiress.' Would you like to provide emergency shelter assistance?]
