“My mother passed away many years ago.”

Cheng Wanfeng’s eyes reddened, and as she tidied her hair, she quietly wiped the corner of her eye.

Li Zhiyue looked at the map again, her own eyes also turning red.

The woman drawing the map was also a traveler from another world.

In this strange place, she repeatedly sketched the familiar land and rivers of her homeland — the once prosperous and powerful era, the towering buildings in her dreams, the equality and freedom that once felt within reach…

All of those were gone, no longer seen.

Only her longing and memories could be slowly etched onto the rice paper.

She had been here before.

But now, she had left.

“Miss, are you alright?”

Mo Yu stood nearby, her worry clearly showing.

Li Zhiyue suddenly noticed tears streaming down her face.

No matter how calmly she tried to act, she had to admit she missed the world she came from, the homeland where she was born and raised.

But, she really couldn’t go back.

She accepted the handkerchief Mo Yu handed her, wiped her tears, turned around, and smiled: “My name is Li Zhiyue. May I ask your name, Miss?”

Cheng Wanfeng, who had been lost in thought, only then noticed Li Zhiyue’s unusual behavior.

She spoke, “My surname is Cheng, and my given name is Wanfeng.”

Li Zhiyue extended her hand: “Wanfeng, nice to meet you.”

Cheng Wanfeng felt a sudden daze.

This gesture—so familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

Instinctively, she reached out her hand and shook Li Zhiyue’s: “Miss Li, if you don’t have other plans, why not stay for a meal?”

“Sure.” Li Zhiyue agreed readily. She looked toward Moyu. “Please tell Ji Laizhi to inform the Marquis’s residence that I won’t be back for dinner tonight and will return later.”

Ji Laizhi took the carriage and left first; he would come back to pick her up later.

Cheng Wanfeng spoke shyly: “I don’t know why, but I feel we’re quite kindred spirits.”

“Call me Zhiyue—that’s more intimate.” Li Zhiyue directly hooked her arm through hers, “Let’s cook together.”

After all, she was half from the same place, carrying half the genes of a modern person—naturally, they got along well.

She was eager to learn more about her fellow countrywoman.

Behind the small courtyard was a vegetable patch.

Cheng Wanfeng took Li Zhiyue to pick vegetables, then wash and cut them, start a fire, and stir-fry. Li Zhiyue was in charge of adding fuel to the stove.

Soon, a meal was prepared.

Looking at the dishes on the table, Li Zhiyue’s eyes reddened again—it was Hunan cuisine, a kind of food not found in this era.

“These are dishes my mother often made for my older brother and me: this one is Spicy Diced Chicken, that one is Fragrant Spicy Fish Head, this is Stir-fried Pork, this is Grandma’s Vegetable with Pork, and a Loofah Egg Soup. It’s a bit simple, Zhiyue, don’t mind it.” Cheng Wanfeng introduced the dishes, then looked at Mo Yu standing nearby, “Sister Mo Yu, come sit and eat with us.”

Mo Yu was stunned.

She quickly stepped back, trembling: “The servant’s duty is to attend to the young ladies’ meal, that’s all.”

“If Wanfeng invites you, then sit and eat.” Li Zhiyue said, “Wanfeng is easygoing; don’t be so restrained.”

Mo Yu frowned but dared only to sit on half a stool.

She picked up chopsticks but didn’t dare to eat; she only served food to Li Zhiyue.

Li Zhiyue understood that the master-servant mindset was deeply rooted in everyone’s hearts in this era, and external forces were hard to change, so she had never advocated for equality.

But she hadn’t expected her predecessor to have instilled such ideas into the child.

That must have been a kind and pure-hearted traveler woman.

“Wanfeng, can you tell me about your mother?”

“My mother… she was a different kind of woman.” Cheng Wanfeng’s eyes sparkled, “She loved the night sky and studying stars. I remember when I was little, she used Kongming lanterns to create something called a hot air balloon. She took my brother and me up in it; we flew far away. It turns out people can fly even without wings. Thinking back after so many years, it feels like a dream.”

Li Zhiyue grew excited too: “Really? Your mother actually made a hot air balloon?”

“It’s true.”

A man’s voice suddenly joined in.

Li Zhiyue turned her head, startled, and quickly stood up: “Lord Cheng?”

Cheng Wanfeng also stood: “Big brother is back. I had guests today, so I didn’t wait for him to eat dinner together—sorry!”

“You two…” Li Zhiyue’s eyes widened suddenly, “So that’s how it is…”

No wonder when Cheng Changyan said “inflammation” at the banquet that day, she mistakenly thought he was from her hometown and gave a secret code, but he couldn’t respond.

It turned out, his mother was her real fellow countrywoman.

Cheng Changyan met Li Zhiyue’s suddenly enlightened gaze, a slight upward curve appearing on his lips.

He sat down at the empty side of the square table: “Miss Li, no need to be polite. Sit down. We’ll talk after the meal.”

Moyu dared not sit again.

She quickly stood behind Li Zhiyue.

Cheng Wanfeng was about to speak again.

Cheng Changyan raised his hand to stop her, shaking his head gently.

“There are still dishes in the kitchen.” Cheng Wanfeng gave in, “Sister Mo Yu, don’t stand here. Go eat something to fill your stomach first.”

Moyu glanced at Li Zhiyue, and seeing her nod, hurriedly left.

“Since we’re all from the same place, I won’t be polite.” Li Zhiyue picked up chopsticks and tasted the spicy diced chicken, giving a thumbs-up. “Wanfeng, you’re amazing. This tastes no worse than the restaurants back home.”

Cheng Wanfeng was bewildered: “Your place? Restaurants? Zhiyue, you…”

Li Zhiyue smiled: “Your mother and I come from the same place as yours. I’ve also ridden a hot air balloon, but not here—it was in our world.”

Cheng Wanfeng covered her face, swallowing her shock.

After a while, she suppressed her emotions and said in disbelief: “Then do you know my mother?”

Li Zhiyue replied: “Communication was very convenient in our time. If she was a celebrity, I might know her. But if she was an ordinary person like me, I’m afraid not.”

“My mother is an astronaut!” Cheng Wanfeng hurriedly said, “Her name is Qin Jiajia. When she came to the Da Wei dynasty, she was not even thirty.”

Li Zhiyue was stunned.

She really knew this person—the only female astronaut who landed on the moon successfully, who had appeared in many news reports.

At first known for her career, later because she became ill and suddenly fell into a coma, a vegetative state.

Her family tried everything but couldn’t wake her.

When Li Zhiyue traveled through, Qin Jiajia should have still been in that coma.

She slowly told the story.

Cheng Wanfeng was emotionally moved.

Cheng Changyan’s eyes shimmered with light as he spoke carefully: “Thank you, Miss Li, for telling us about my mother.”

“Your mother is my idol. You and I are half-countrywomen. Don’t call me Miss Li; call me Zhiyue. And you, Lord Cheng, let’s be casual. In our world, people interact simply, without constant tension. It’s better to be free and easy.”

Cheng Changyan smiled: “At the Cheng family, you can be yourself.”