Chapter 3 – Beehive

Chu Xiaoqi leaned on her cudgel and slumped under the parasol tree in the courtyard, watching the village chief’s retreating back with a face full of despair.

She looked around the yard and let out a long sigh. It seems Heaven really wants me dead.

By rights, she had been a top-notch surgeon in her previous life, saving lives and accumulating boundless merit. Even if she didn’t transmigrate into a princess or a noble consort, she should’ve at least landed in a well-off family, right?

How did she end up in the body of a short-lived, nameless cannon-fodder character?

And worst of all—she was starving…

At the moment, the only thing possibly edible in the whole Ji family household was probably the water from the well in the yard.

The Male Lead’s Courtyard

Chu Xiaoqi turned to glance at the Ji family members, who still looked shell-shocked. She wanted to ask if there was anything to eat.

But after thinking it over, she gave up.

If there had been anything edible, the original host would’ve already devoured it long ago—no way anything would be left.

Looks like she’d have to rely on herself…

The Ji family was already bracing for another round of curses from Chu Xiaoqi, but instead of lashing out, she just opened her mouth silently, then staggered to a corner, picked up her basket, slung it over her back, grabbed a hoe, and began walking toward the gate.

“Xiaoqi, where are you going?” Ji Mother anxiously chased after her.

Chu Xiaoqi lifted her head and glanced at her. Weakly dragging the hoe behind her, she muttered, “To find food…”

“Xiaoqi! Xiaoqi…” Ji Mother called after her, but didn’t dare reach out to pull her back. She could only turn anxiously to Ji Father. “Husband, there’s nothing to eat out there…”

Ji Father pressed his lips together and let out a heavy sigh. “I… I’ll go try the village again…”

“Dad, we’ve borrowed from the entire village already,” Ji Jingze interrupted dejectedly.
“We’ve borrowed again and again—some people haven’t been repaid for two or three years now. Who would still lend to us?”

Ji Mother lowered her head and started crying, blaming herself. “It’s all my fault. My useless body—always needing medicine, yet unable to do heavy labor… I’m the one dragging this family down.”

“Mom, don’t say that! Even if we have to sell everything, we’ll get you the medicine you need,” Ji Jingxuan said, eyes red as he gently held her hand.

Ji Mother had been suffering from chronic bronchitis ever since giving birth to twins. She’d been weak post-delivery and caught a chill, which turned into persistent coughing.

Back then, they had no money for medicine, so it dragged on. Who would’ve thought that cough would last over ten years?

She’d taken plenty of medicine over the years, but none cured her. She couldn’t do hard labor, and every season change triggered a relapse. Without medicine, the coughing wouldn’t stop, keeping her up all night.

It had rained heavily last night, and this morning, the coughing had already started again.

There wasn’t a single grain of rice left in the house—let alone money to buy medicine from the clinic.

The whole family was drowning in worry, not knowing what to do.

“Ji Laoe’r! Ji Laoe’r! Something bad’s happened!” Third Aunt came rushing into the courtyard, panting heavily as she pointed outside. “You’d better go have a look—your eldest daughter-in-law just went off toward Yanwang Mountain!”

“What?!”

The whole Ji family jumped to their feet in shock.

“Husband, go! Hurry and bring her back!

What if something terrible happens? What will we say to Jingxuan then?” Ji Mother anxiously slapped Ji Father’s arm, urging him to go after Chu Xiaoqi.

“Alright, alright, I’m going now…” Ji Father had just taken a few steps when Ji Jingze stopped him. “Dad, it’s better if you don’t go. I’ll take Xiaolan. You stay here and wait.”

With that, he grabbed Ji Jinglan—who still hadn’t finished crying—and the two of them stumbled out the door.

In the County Town

“Brother Jingxuan, you’d better go home quickly.

Xiao—”

“…Qi—Xiaoqi wants to sell Xiaolan to that Lord An in the county as a concubine. It’s chaos at the house right now!”

Wang Yuhé rushed breathlessly into the bookshop, shouting toward Ji Jingxuan, who was busy copying books.

Wang Yuhé — the male lead’s childhood friend.

Ji Jingxuan shot up from his stool, hastily shoved his brush onto the pen stand, gave the bookshop owner a quick nod, and rushed out the door.

Ji Jingxuan

“Brother Jingxuan, slow down!” Wang Yuhé was left far behind in the dust. Watching his figure disappear from view, she finally gave up running, frustrated and breathless, stamping her foot in anger.

Ji Jingxuan, in his panic, couldn’t even hear her shouting behind him.

He truly had no idea how to deal with Chu Xiaoqi anymore. At home, she was either hitting or scolding everyone. No matter how kindly he tried to talk to her, she wouldn’t listen to a word.

And now she actually wanted to sell his little sister?

He could put up with everything else, but if she truly dared to sell Xiaolan off as someone’s concubine, then it didn’t matter if she had lost her memory—he could not keep her around.

Resolved, he quickened his pace and sprinted toward the village.

Ji Family Village

Chu Xiaoqi left the house and stood at the gate, taking a good look around before heading straight for the biggest mountain.

No one along the way greeted her—not that she cared. She wasn’t the kind to force friendliness on cold shoulders. Besides, she didn’t have the original host’s memories and didn’t recognize a single face. Why bother chatting up strangers?

After much effort, she finally reached the base of the mountain. But seeing the barren, spotless patches of grass—cleaner than her own face—she nearly dropped her jaw in shock.

Forget edible wild greens. There wasn’t even a poisonous one in sight.

Chu Xiaoqi leaned on her hoe and stared up at the sky. Two tears silently slid down her cheeks.

Heaven really wants me dead… this isn’t even a matter of effort anymore.

Nothing to eat, and not even a chance to survive by working for it. How was she supposed to live?

No…
She had to live. Only by surviving could she find a way back home, earn money, pamper a handsome man in ancient garb, change the tragic fate of the original host…

Live. She had to live.

Chu Xiaoqi wiped her face roughly with her sleeve, clenched her fists, and gave herself a pep talk. Then she picked up her hoe and marched deeper into the mountain.

She didn’t find anything edible along the way, but she did come across a few common herbs: licorice root, ramie, Indian aster, indigo plant, and Xungufeng…

In the modern world, these were common and mostly cultivated herbs—not worth much. She had no idea whether the local apothecaries accepted them, or what they might pay.

Didn’t matter. She’d dig them up first—every copper coin counted.

She kept digging until, before she knew it, her basket was full.

Straightening up and looking around, she found herself standing in a wild, deserted area. She had no idea where she’d wandered off to.

Yanwang Mountain.

Clearly… she was lost.

When someone’s luck runs out, even drinking plain water could make them choke.

She panted, set her basket down, and collapsed weakly against a large tree. Turning toward the dense forest, she stared up at the canopy in hopeless despair.

She didn’t even have a fire-starter on her. At this rate, she might not even find food before nightfall—and end up as a midnight snack for some wild animal.

Was she really going to die in this book’s world?

Sigh…

Heavens above, please give me a way out of this.

If I make it out alive, I swear I’ll go back to being a doctor who saves lives and upholds justice, a good citizen through and through…

Just as she was about to howl at the sky in frustration, something caught her eye—hanging from the trunk of the tree across from her.

Wait…

What was that hanging on the branch of that tree?

She quickly rubbed her eyes, afraid she was seeing things…

Had she gotten so hungry she was hallucinating?

She rubbed her eyes again, then again—just to be sure. But when she confirmed it for the third time, she shot up from the ground with a whoosh, her dizziness and weakness completely gone, instantly revived like a character full of health in a game.

She rushed toward the tree, craned her neck, and looked up at the beehive hanging high above. Her throat bobbed as she gulped twice—hard.

In all her years of living, this was the first time honey had ever looked so precious.

She scanned the area, hoping to find some handy tool nearby, when suddenly, she heard faint shouting in the distance.

“Big Sis-in-law… Big Sis-in-law…”

She perked up her ears and listened. Sure enough, someone was calling her name. Sounded like that younger brother- and sister-in-law of hers—Ji Jingze and Ji Jinglan.

Perfect timing. She could ask if they had a fire starter.

“I’m over here!” she shouted.

A few minutes later, Ji Jingze and Ji Jinglan came running over, panting heavily.

“Big Sis-in-law, why did you run all the way out here?” Ji Jingze scolded breathlessly. “It’s so dangerous! Father and Mother are worried sick. Come home with us, now.”

He was already two days into hunger himself. Searching for her had taken the last of his energy. He felt like he could faint at any moment.

Chu Xiaoqi didn’t argue with his tone. She simply turned to him and asked, “Do you have a fire starter?”

Already annoyed with her, Ji Jingze turned his head away and snapped, “No.”

Chu Xiaoqi raised an eyebrow. Judging by his stubborn attitude, he clearly did have one.

She held out her hand. “Give it to me.”

“I said I don’t—”

Before he could finish, Chu Xiaoqi raised her hand high and interrupted, “Do you believe I’ll slap you dead right here?”

Ji Jingze immediately ducked.

Ji Jinglan, worried her brother might really get smacked, quickly reached into his belt and pulled out the fire starter. Handing it to Chu Xiaoqi with shaking hands, she pleaded, “Big Sis-in-law, don’t hit anyone… Here, take it…”

Chu Xiaoqi rolled her eyes at Ji Jingze, who looked like he was grinding his teeth.

Little brat. You don’t learn unless someone lays hands on you. Try talking nice, they ignore you. Hit ’em once, and they listen.

Taking the fire starter, she gathered some dry weeds and added a few wormwood leaves, bundling it all onto the end of a stick. Then she took off her outer jacket and wrapped it over her head.

Ji Jingze and Ji Jinglan watched curiously but didn’t dare interrupt. When they saw her stick the bundle into her belt and prepare to climb the tree, Ji Jinglan hesitantly walked closer and asked in a small voice:

“Big Sis-in-law, what… what are you doing?”

Chu Xiaoqi nodded toward the beehive.

The two looked up, still confused about what it was. Meanwhile, she had already kicked off her shoes and wrapped her arms around the tree trunk, getting ready to climb.

Just as she jumped up to start, Ji Jingze grabbed her by the waistband and yanked her down. “Chu Xiaoqi, are you crazy? You’ll be stung to death!”

The sudden pull made her dizzy again—she nearly collapsed.

She braced herself against the tree and leaned there, panting heavily for several seconds before the spinning finally eased.

Ji Jinglan, seeing her in bad shape, gently reached out to support her. “Sister-in-law, are you okay? Is your head hurting again?”

Chu Xiaoqi was beyond hungry. Her mood was fraying badly. She shook off Ji Jinglan’s hand, glared at the two of them, and pointed in the direction they’d come from.

“If you’re not here to help, then get lost. Don’t just stand here in my way.”

Seeing she was truly furious, the siblings dropped their heads and didn’t say another word.

Chu Xiaoqi’s voice was hoarse but firm as she muttered, “I’m about to starve to death. Who cares about a few bee stings?

Only the living get to fear pain. If I die, what’s there left to be afraid of?”