“Mother.”

Fang Xiu was seated beside the embroidery frame, sorting through threads, when she heard Lin Qingxu’s soft voice. Sensing something was off, she shot her a sideways glance.

“What’s wrong with A’Lian? Nothing? Then go back and rest—there’s still work for you in the afternoon.” Fang Xiu returned to her task, her tone as curt as ever.

Lin Qingxu knew Fang Xiu’s sternness was mostly for show, so she didn’t take it to heart and hesitantly lingered.

“Mother, about my engagement with the young master of the Su family…” Lin Qingxu bit her lip, searching for the right words.

At the mention of this, Fang Xiu let out a “hmm” and finally looked up, waiting for her to continue.

Lin Qingxu swallowed nervously. Closing her eyes, she gathered her courage and blurted out, “Can I not marry him?”

She thought her bold declaration would at least make Fang Xiu pause for a moment, but to her surprise, Fang Xiu barely reacted, simply turning back to continue sorting the threads.

After a brief silence, Fang Xiu casually responded, “No, you can’t.”

Lin Qingxu’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She wanted to grab Fang Xiu and demand an answer, but the older woman’s imposing presence made her hesitate. Instead, she held back and asked timidly, “Mother, did you hear what I said?”

“You said you didn’t want to get married, right? I told you—it’s not possible.” Fang Xiu replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

In the past few days, Fang Xiu had noticed something unusual about her eldest daughter. She’d sensed that something was brewing, especially after Lin Qingxu’s recent silence. Now, with this sudden outburst about not wanting to marry, Fang Xiu actually felt a strange sense of relief.

Lin Qingxu almost lost her breath at Fang Xiu’s response.

She had pictured a range of reactions: Fang Xiu exploding in anger and scolding her endlessly, or sharply rejecting the idea with a stern refusal. Even though Lin Qingxu knew it was unlikely, she had still imagined her mother grilling her for reasons before begrudgingly considering it. But none of her imagined scenarios matched the calm indifference she was facing now.

“Why?” Lin Qingxu stammered, struggling to find the right words. In the end, she could only settle for the simplest, most direct question.

Fang Xiu tilted her head again, and Lin Qingxu could practically see the words “Are you an idiot?” written in her eyes.

“Haven’t you gotten smarter lately? Why are you asking such dumb questions?”

Fang Xiu’s blunt words hit Lin Qingxu like a wall.

“If you’ve got nothing better to do, go back inside. Standing around like a post isn’t doing you any favors—it’s unsightly!” Fang Xiu added, leaving no room for argument.

Lin Qingxu lingered for another half a minute, her lips pressed together in silent sadness.

Seeing that Fang Xiu had dismissed her entirely and was now focused on her embroidery, Lin Qingxu didn’t dare push further. Clutching the words “ugly death” and a heart full of hurt, she shuffled back to the house.

Lin Qingwan was still asleep, her position having shifted from lying flat to curled slightly on one side, leaving just enough space on the bed for Lin Qingxu.

Looking at her sister’s piglet-like sleep, Lin Qingxu sighed quietly.

How could she have never imagined that things would go this way.

Fang Xiu’s refusal had completely caught Lin Qingxu off guard, rendering all the strange and elaborate lies she’d prepared useless.

She had originally planned to stage a dramatic performance if Fang Xiu reacted with anger or strict refusal. She would have played the part of the heartbroken daughter, weaving in nonsense about dreams involving gods and spirits. After all, in these times, with fairies and devils being a common belief, most people were easily swayed by superstition. Her goal was to at least plant a seed of doubt in Fang Xiu’s mind.

But how could Fang Xiu simply brush it off without asking a single question ah?

Lin Qingxu flopped onto the bed in frustration, wriggling indignantly. When the wooden frame began creaking beneath her, her heart skipped a beat.

Seeing that the little piglet beside her remained fast asleep, Lin Qingxu sighed in relief before settling down more carefully.

Staring up at the bare ceiling, she couldn’t help but let out another soft sigh.

Lin Qingxu wasn’t exactly someone who could easily go with the flow or be content with her situation. The fact that she’d managed to adjust so quickly after spending just three days in this new world wasn’t just because she had the original owner’s memories to guide her. Knowing she couldn’t return to her former life in the twenty-first century certainly played a role, but there was another important reason, too.

–The original owner’s family was strikingly similar to Lin Qingxu’s own.

In modern times, Lin Qingxu’s mother had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She was quick to hurl stinging words that could make anyone want to crawl into a hole, even when they were meant affectionately. Praise from her always came with a teasing edge.

Lin Qingxu also had a younger brother, Qingmu, who was eight years her junior.

Lin Qingxu recalled that the day before the accident, she had called home. Her mother had been complaining about how Qingmu got into a fight with an older boy at school. Before she could finish her rant, Qingmu had grabbed the phone and shouted, “Sister!” He proudly boasted about his “glorious” victory, only for their mother to cut in with a mix of scolding and praise. He kept bragging until their mother pinched him, making him yelp in pain.

Her father, a gentle high school teacher, was always the one to mediate whenever the family argued, his calm voice soothing the tension…

Lin Qingxu’s throat tightened at the memory.

She blinked rapidly, forcing back tears, and let out a deep breath, swallowing the frustration that had crept up on her.

If she hadn’t suddenly discovered she was inside a novel, Lin Qingxu believed she could have accepted and even enjoyed her current life in peace. But now that everything around her was revealed to be part of a story, it all felt unreal.

Somehow, she had already tied her hope of escaping marriage to Su Yan with the novel’s tragic fate for “Lin Qingxu.”

Despite her worries, Lin Qingxu didn’t expect to fall asleep so easily. But when she opened her eyes again, the sun had already dipped low in the western sky.

Her heart raced, and she quickly sat up in bed.

The thin quilt covering Lin Qingxu slipped off as she moved. She noticed that Lin Qingwan had already left the house without a word. Numbly, Lin Qingxu got out of bed, put on her shoes, and headed for the door. She saw Fang Xiu still seated by the window, engrossed in her embroidery, and chose not to disturb her. Grabbing the farming tools stacked in the corner of the courtyard, she hurried outside, ignoring the disapproving glare of the red-feathered rooster.

The Lin family’s primary source of income was Fang Xiu’s embroidery. Besides that, they owned a few small plots of land. They grew vegetables mainly for their use and occasionally for their neighbors.

Neither Lin Qingxu nor Lin Qingwan were skilled in cooking or embroidery like their mother. Their only practical skills were in simple farming tasks.

In the original owner’s memories, Lin Qingxu and Lin Qingwan were responsible for all the spring sowing and autumn harvesting. With it being spring, they needed to loosen the soil in the fields and wait for the right temperature to sow the first batch of seeds.

When Lin Qingxu arrived at the family’s farmland, she didn’t see Lin Qingwan, but she noticed that a quarter of the land had already been plowed. The tools left behind were scattered on the ridge.

It seemed Lin Qingwan had probably gone off to play during the day.

Drawing on the original owner’s experience with farm work, Lin Qingxu quickly set to work.

The spring weather was perfect—neither too cold nor too hot, with a gentle breeze easing the heat from her labor.

As the sun began to set, Lin Qingxu looked over the field, proud of the substantial progress she had made!

Just as she was about to retrieve the tools Lin Qingwan had left behind and head home with the fading light, a small, monkey-like figure appeared in the distance. Lin Qingxu didn’t need to look closely to recognize her.

“Sister, guess what news I heard?” Lin Qingwan called out, breathless and running toward her with a wide, eager grin.

Seeing Lin Qingwan’s bright and cheerful demeanor, Lin Qingxu couldn’t help but feel her mood lift. She handed one of the tools back to Lin Qingwan and, mimicking her sister, squeezed her eyes playfully. “What’s the news?”

Lin Qingwan’s smile grew even wider as she leaned in close to Lin Qingxu’s ear, ready to drop a bombshell.

“I heard that an Immortal from the Immortal Cultivation Realm has come to the village to take on an apprentice!”

Lin Qingxu’s heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly halted in her tracks, stunned.

“An Immortal from the Immortal Cultivation Realm?” Lin Qingxu repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Lin Qingwan was so excited that she didn’t notice her enthusiasm. Nodding vigorously, she said, “Yes, Sister! They’re holding a ceremony at the village entrance starting tomorrow. People from several nearby villages will be bringing their children to join.”

Lotus Flower Village, situated centrally among several surrounding villages and closest to the town, was the preferred location for Immortal Cultivation visitors when selecting disciples.

Lin Qingxu heard her words but remained dazed for a moment.

In the “Forest Woman Immortal Cultivation Biography,” it was mentioned that the main character, “Lin Qingwan,” was selected through a village qualification for immortality. She was found to have both water and wood spiritual roots, which allowed her to enter the Spirit Cloud Sect. However, the novel never specified her age at the time of entry, which Lin Qingxu had always overlooked.

If “Lin Qingwan” can step into the world of Immortal Cultivation through this opportunity…

Lin Qingxu’s eyes suddenly brightened as an idea began to form.

The admiration for the Immortal Cultivation Clan in the human world was almost fanatical. Even those with modest qualifications—those who could only work as floor sweepers or medicine boys in the outer sects—commanded great respect from ordinary people.

If she was also selected, even if it’s just to become an outer sect sweeper, the marriage contract and other worldly concerns would be nothing compared to such an opportunity!

As for the fate of “Lin Qingxu” in the novel, what does it matter to her?

With this thought, Lin Qingxu felt as if a path of flowers was unfolding before her, offering endless possibilities.

But just as she was about to step onto this promising path, a voice of cold reality cut through her excitement.

“Although it’s unlikely that someone like us will be chosen by the Immortals, we can still go and enjoy the event tomorrow. Several villages are coming, right, Sister?” Lin Qingwan’s enthusiasm remained undiminished, though she noticed Lin Qingxu’s sudden change in expression with some confusion.

Lin Qingxu pursed her lips, fighting the urge to roll her eyes, and gave her a sidelong glance.

Have a bit of self-awareness as the future heroine, will you? Sister!

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