Yun Tutu suddenly threw aside the gold ingots she was hugging and jumped up. “I almost forgot, Miss Liu just gave me a return gift. I wonder what’s inside the box? Could it be more gold?”

The box had felt heavy in her hands, but since it was a gift, Yun Tutu hadn’t given it much thought. As she opened it, she was stunned. Inside was a complete set of hair ornaments—no wonder Miss Liu from the wealthy marquis household was so generous. The hairpins were gold and studded with gemstones.

She picked up the matching bracelet and weighed it in her hand. It was solid and substantial. The mirror she had given in exchange was definitely worth it. She had expected something small in return, but Liu Ziqi had given her something so valuable instead.

Feeling a bit guilty for accepting such a lavish gift, Yun Tutu sighed. “Song Song, if we get another delivery for Miss Liu, remind me to include some extra gifts for her.”

This trip had really paid off. She decided she would enjoy her newfound wealth a little longer by cuddling the gold ingots. After all, some people sleep on piles of cash; she would sleep on a bed of gold.

Song Song responded, “We’ll see how it goes.” It wasn’t going to make any promises. Although it had marked that world, a delivery would only happen if there was a strong desire for one. It wasn’t going to waste energy on a trip without reason. But, of course, Yun Tutu didn’t need to know that—it didn’t want to cause any complications.

… No sooner had it finished speaking than Yun Tutu climbed back into bed, this time hugging the jewelry box as well. Song Song was speechless.

---

Over the next two days, no delivery orders came in, and Yun Tutu found herself feeling a bit out of sorts.

Song Song, on the other hand, was fed up with her constant questions. So, to distract her, it quickly changed the subject, “Now that you’ve got so much money, don’t you want to buy a place of your own? I’ve noticed that humans are deeply attached to the idea of owning property. You now have the means—why not consider it?”

It was desperate to keep her busy and away from bombarding it with questions. Not that it didn’t want more orders—it simply hadn’t received any.

Yun Tutu, reminded of the five million yuan sitting in her bank account (a bit less after Song Song’s 10% fee), paused. “A house?” she mused. She hadn’t really thought about buying property here. Aside from the high prices, she preferred the idea of returning to her hometown someday. Even if she didn’t settle in their small county, she could at least buy something in the nearby city, closer to home.

Thinking of her family, she realized it had been a while since she last called. She should check in and let them know she was okay.

She glanced at her phone and noticed her last call was over a week ago. That wasn’t normal—her family usually called her within a week.

She quickly dialed her mother’s number. The phone was picked up almost immediately, and she was greeted by a tired voice. “Tutu.”

“Mom, you sound different. Are you feeling alright?” Yun Tutu asked, concerned. Her mother was usually full of energy and always optimistic.

Rubbing her temples, Ye Juan replied, “Everything’s fine at home, don’t worry. By the way, how’s your job search going? Do you need more money? I can send you some.”

Yun Tutu quickly reassured her, “I’ve got enough, Mom. I haven’t even spent the money you sent me this month yet. Besides, I’ve found a job with decent pay.”

She wanted to send some money home now that she had more than enough, but she couldn’t think of a good excuse.

“You found a job?” Ye Juan’s voice softened. “That’s great to hear. Just take care of yourself out there, and remember to get along with your coworkers. We’re not afraid of trouble, but it’s better to avoid it if possible.”

“I know,” Yun Tutu replied, a hint of helplessness in her voice. She wasn’t one to cause trouble—unless, of course, someone else started it. Not that there were any coworkers to worry about. Her so-called company had only one employee: herself.

Song Song, overhearing the conversation, couldn’t help but think, So it’s my fault you don’t have coworkers to squabble with, which is why you take it out on me all the time…

“Mom, be honest with me—what’s really going on at home? You don’t sound like yourself,” Yun Tutu pressed, sensing that something was off despite her mother’s attempt to sound upbeat.

Ye Juan massaged her jaw, realizing she couldn’t hide the truth from her daughter. “It’s nothing major, just that your dad had a little accident while picking up supplies. He broke his leg and is in the hospital.”

“What?!” Yun Tutu’s voice shot up. “Why didn’t you tell me? Is it serious?”

“It’s nothing, just a fractured leg,” Ye Juan replied, downplaying the incident. “He’s lucky it wasn’t worse. He just needs a few months of rest, and he’ll be back to normal.”

Ye Juan spoke lightly, but Yun Tutu knew that with her father injured, the burden of running their small shop would fall entirely on her mother. While her grandparents could help around the house and look after her younger brother, there would still be plenty to worry about.

“Can’t you ask the suppliers to deliver the goods?” Yun Tutu asked, trying to think of ways to lighten the load.

“Some of the supplies are delivered, but there are certain things we have to pick up ourselves,” Ye Juan explained, sensing her daughter’s worry. “But don’t worry, your dad’s surgery went well, and his leg is healing nicely. He’ll be out of the hospital in a few days, and things will get easier.”

The two of them chatted a bit more before Yun Tutu ended the call.

Their family lived in a small county-level city, and there weren’t many of them—just her grandparents, her parents, and her younger brother.

Her grandparents, Yun Dagan and Song Xiangqing, had both retired from the local water conservancy bureau. They had endured their share of hardships in their youth, so their health wasn’t the best, but they did their best to help with household chores and take care of her brother, who was still in elementary school.

Her father, Yun Zhiyi, was always a risk-taker. After graduating from high school, he didn’t go on to college—whether by choice or due to not passing the entrance exams, Yun Tutu wasn’t sure.

Over the years, he had tried his hand at many ventures, convinced that doing business was the fastest way to wealth. But luck didn’t seem to be on his side, and most of his ventures ended in failure. If it weren’t for her grandparents’ pensions supporting them, the family might have fallen apart long ago.

Eventually, her mother, Ye Juan, couldn’t stand by and watch anymore. She suggested they open a small shop, reasoning that it would still be a business and would at least provide some stability. To make it happen, she even borrowed money from her family.

In the early years, business was good. They paid off their debts and even managed to buy the shop. But with the rise of e-commerce, physical stores like theirs took a hit.

Fortunately, their shop sold a variety of items, so they managed to stay afloat, even if they couldn’t make as much money as before. Perhaps age had mellowed Yun Zhiyi, and he no longer pursued risky ventures, content to help Ye Juan run the shop and take on odd jobs fixing water and electricity around town. Life had settled into a quiet routine.

Yun Tutu had long felt uneasy about the old tricycle her father insisted on using and had urged him to replace it, but he was reluctant to spend the money. And now, her worst fears had come true—an accident had finally happened.