Chapter 5

Procurement

When Xia Wanyang returned to bed, she slept soundly until 8 a.m. the next day. As she rubbed her eyes and went to wash up, she froze in shock upon seeing herself in the mirror.

The girl in the mirror had a gentle and charming appearance, her expression exuding a subtle tenderness that seemed capable of melting even the coldest hearts. Her large, rounded eyes tilted slightly at the corners, carrying a hint of laziness reminiscent of a cat or a fox. Her lashes were thick, her nose was petite and delicate, and her lips were pouty, giving her the look of someone coquettish. Her slightly puffed cheeks, resembling a child savoring candy, made it hard to resist the urge to pinch them.

Xia Wanyang had always known she was fairly pretty. After all, she’d grown up receiving compliments from the uncles and aunts in her neighborhood. Yet, as she gazed at her reflection now, she couldn’t help but feel an inexplicable sense of unfamiliarity despite her features remaining the same.

Her skin had always been fair, but now it was flawlessly radiant, as delicate as fine porcelain, with a faint rosy glow that made her look adorably captivating.

She glanced downward, and her eyes widened in shock, her face filled with astonishment! In her previous life, before heading to the countryside, she had often felt dissatisfied with her petite figure. She had especially envied the well-endowed chests of the other girls around her, which sometimes even pushed her toward feelings of inferiority.

But now, as she felt the fullness in her chest, she couldn’t contain her excitement and began jumping up and down. The motion caused her chest to sway along with her movements…

A burst of laughter, almost demonic in nature, echoed from the bathroom.

After washing up, she headed to the kitchen to find the food her mother had left. With the whole family off to work, she had to eat alone. Once full, she grabbed her stash of savings and the tin box her mother had given her, then set off.

Remembering what 007 had told her—that items placed in the spatial dimension could stay fresh—Xia Wanyang went straight to the state-run restaurant and packed up every dish available. She also bought fifty meat buns.

“Why are you buying so many buns?” the server asked, puzzled.

Xia Wanyang’s eyes darted mischievously. “We’re hosting a celebration at home! I’ve long heard about the renowned skills of your chef, so my mom sent me to buy some for our out-of-town relatives to try!”

Hearing this, the dough-kneading chef immediately rushed to the counter, nudging the server aside. His face lit up with enthusiasm. “Your mom has great taste! Let me tell you, my recipe for the filling is a family heirloom. People who try it once always come back for more!”

Xia Wanyang smiled sweetly in agreement. “Exactly! I had them once and couldn’t stop thinking about them. So, can I buy more, then? You see, I’ve got a lot of relatives, and if one bun isn’t enough and they want seconds, it would be such a pity if there weren’t any left!”

The charming young girl, with her sweet words and pretty face, left the chef stunned and at her mercy. “Buy as many as you want! I’ll personally ensure you get as much as you need!”

“Thank you, Chef! I’ll be sure to leave a glowing review in your guestbook. Talents like yours are one in a million!”

The chef’s old face flushed red. “It’s not as amazing as you say!”

Xia Wanyang glanced at the nearby server. “Pack up everything for me!”

The server: “…”

The chef: “…”

In the end, under her continuous flattery, the chef even gave her a large box for free. The buns were 30 cents each, and she bought a total of 145 buns—six meat varieties and seven vegetable varieties—altogether costing 61 yuan. After paying and getting the receipt, she huffed and puffed as she carried them away.

Though her heart ached a little over the expense, the quantity was definitely sufficient. Eating a little each meal and storing the rest would last her at least two months!

After finding a secluded spot, Xia Wanyang looked around and frowned slightly. “Store it away!”

007: “…”

Next, Xia Wanyang headed to the department store. Thinking of the vast warehouse-like space in her dimension that seemed endless, she wondered what else she might need. It felt like nothing was missing. Passing by the watch counter, she stopped in her tracks.

“Comrade, could you please take out those two watches for me to see?”

The salesperson observed the girl in front of her, dressed in a crisp white shirt, brand-new black pants, and nearly new leather shoes, and immediately smiled warmly as she retrieved the watches.

“Comrade, you have a good eye. These two watches are a rare couple’s set. The only reason they’ve been sitting here is that the price is a bit high.”

Growing up in a wealthy family, Xia Wanyang instantly recognized the top-notch quality of the watches. She carefully examined every detail, from the intricate design of the dials to the choice of materials for the straps, all showcasing exceptional craftsmanship. “Wrap them up for me!” she decided without hesitation.

The salesperson’s smile practically split her face. “Sure! That’ll be 460 yuan and two watch tickets!”

After paying and having them properly packaged, Xia Wanyang placed the watches into her bag.

She then ran to another section. “Comrade, how much are the bicycles?”

The salesperson gave her a once-over. “220 yuan for a men’s bike, and 190 yuan for a women’s bike.”

“I’ll take both!” Xia Wanyang declared boldly.

“That’ll be 410 yuan and two bicycle tickets!”

Though it felt like her heart was bleeding, she still bought them. In her previous life, she remembered how hard it was to get a bike from the local supply and marketing cooperative in the countryside—it was like trying to reach the heavens. Even though she couldn’t take them out for now, just storing them in the dimension gave her peace of mind. Plus, she planned to gift one to Zhang Shiye later. Hehe.

Thinking of Zhang Shiye made Xia Wanyang feel the expense was completely worth it. This time, she was determined to live a good life with him and the dimension he had given her.

She wheeled out the bikes one by one, then found a secluded spot to store them in her space. Satisfied beyond measure, she softly murmured, “Store it away,” each time, much to the exasperation of 007.

After browsing around some more, she bought fabric, labor gloves, a few pairs of liberation shoes, and some small cloth shoes. Glancing at the time, she then dashed home.

When she returned, her mother was already in the kitchen preparing lunch. Standing in the doorway, Xia Wanyang watched her mother’s busy figure, thinking how fortunate she was to live another life.

Her mother turned her head and screamed in fright. “You little monkey! Can’t you say something when you come back? You scared me!”

Xia Wanyang thought for a moment, then took her mother’s hand and said, “Mom, come to my room with me. I have something to tell you!”

The mother and daughter went into the room. Xia Wanyang closed the door and pulled down the curtains. Turning to her mother, she said, “Mom, close your eyes. I have something to show you!”

Though puzzled, her mother obediently closed her eyes. Xia Wanyang took her hand and said, “Enter!”

The next moment, the two appeared inside the dimension!

Her mother slowly opened her eyes and looked around at the scenery, her face full of disbelief. “Where are we? Weren’t we at home?”

Xia Wanyang led her mother to the villa’s living room. The two sat on the sofa as Xia Wanyang explained everything, sparing no detail. When she spoke about Zhang Shiye, she cried so hard she could barely breathe. Her mother cried with her, even though she had no memories of their past lives. Just hearing about it broke her heart.

“So, this is the world inside the jade pendant that child gave you?”

Xia Wanyang nodded, wiping her tears, and then explained the rules of the space.

Her mother was delighted. With this magical place, she no longer worried about her daughter’s safety or quality of life while in the countryside.

“Yanyang, you must never tell anyone about this, do you understand? If people find out, you’ll be in danger!”

“Mom, I’m not stupid. How could I tell anyone? In my last life, I lived to be forty years old. Though I’m only eighteen now, my mental age is much older! And I know no one loves me more than you do, Mom. That’s why I won’t hide this from you.”

Hearing this, her mother’s eyes reddened again. “Yanyang, my precious daughter. You only lived forty years in your last life. I hope you live to be a hundred this time!”

Xia Wanyang had calmed down and, to distract her mother, pulled her up. “Mom, let me show you around!”

The mother and daughter spent half an hour exploring the dimension before leaving.

Her mother patted her hand. “I’ll take leave tomorrow and take you shopping. Now that we have this place, I know exactly what to prepare for you!”