TFRLTOP Chapter 33 Part 2

Yan Junsheng glanced at her but said nothing. In his heart, he thought: Forget it. We should just head home early.

And so, the two of them got along peacefully for a while. According to how the story of this world was supposed to unfold, the official reunion of the male and female leads would only happen once Yan Junsheng returned to the city. Before that, there wasn’t much plot in the village, which gave Mingming plenty of freedom. Her quiet little days were actually quite pleasant.

A few days later, Mingming planned to head into town, but the thought of riding a bicycle there and back made her feel like she’d die of exhaustion.

Just as she was hesitating, Wang Hu came trotting past in his horse cart.

Mingming’s eyes lit up.

“Well, if it isn’t my future bride two years from now,” Wang Hu said lazily, giving her a whistle.

Mingming waved at him. “Since you put it that way, I won’t be polite.”

“What did I even say—”

“Lend me your cart for the day. I’ll return it tonight.” Mingming was blunt.

Wang Hu rested a hand on his hip, studying her. “Where are you going?”

“Into town.”

He clicked his tongue, then jerked his chin. “Hop on.”

“Hm?”

“I’ll take you, it’s on my way. Hurry up, or we won’t make it back before night.”

Mingming happily climbed aboard.

“When we pass through Niuyun Village, stop for a bit, okay? I’ve got something to do there.”

Wang Hu snapped his whip. “You really don’t know the meaning of polite.”

When they reached Niuyun Village, Mingming hopped down from the cart.

Someone was waiting by the entrance, scanning the area. As soon as they saw her, they rushed over. Wang Hu leaned back, one leg swinging, a stalk of straw between his teeth, ears pricked as he eavesdropped on their conversation.

“Right, just stuff this charm into his pillow and let him sleep on it every night… No, no burning it into ashes to drink as charm water! Absolutely not!! This is modern society—we believe in science now. Drinking that junk will only wreck your health!”

Wang Hu: …

“Oh, one more thing. I did some divination yesterday. Your family has another disaster coming this year—it’ll fall on your son. Don’t take it lightly. If it hits, it’ll be far worse than what happened to your father.”

“What?! My boy is only three years old! What disaster could he possibly face? Granny Chen, you must save him!”

Wang Hu: … Granny Chen?

“Of course, of course,” Mingming waved her hand. “Honestly, I didn’t want to take any more of your money. Times are tough for everyone. But you know…” she lowered her voice and pointed up toward the sky, “leaking Heaven’s secrets comes at a price. I have to make offerings, or else I won’t live long myself, right?”

The villager bobbed their head. “Of course, I understand, Granny Chen. Whatever you ask, I won’t say no.”

Mingming nodded wisely. “No need to rush. Listen carefully to the method of dissolving the misfortune. It’s troublesome, but there’s no other way. It won’t harm the child, but the adults will have to put in the effort.”

“Tell me.”

“Every night at 9, 12, and 3, you need to light incense by the child’s bed and bow eastward to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. Keep this up for forty-nine days, and the disaster will be averted.”

“Important detail: the incense must be lit by a blood relative, someone who truly loves the child. No outsiders, or all the effort will be wasted. And for those forty-nine days, don’t let the boy spend the night anywhere but home. Got it?”

“Got it, got it! I’ll do exactly as you say!” The villager thanked her profusely, and soon their family brought over cash and food coupons, which Mingming accepted without the slightest hesitation.

Climbing back into the cart, she was in high spirits. “Let’s go.”

Wang Hu flicked the whip. The cart rolled on. “You…”

Mingming shoved twenty yuan and a meat coupon into his hand.

He raised a brow. “A bribe?”

“Hush money!” Mingming leaned close. “If you dare say anything, I’ll report you for engaging in feudal superstitions.”

Wang Hu gawked at her. “How are you the one crying thief while you’re the thief?!”

Mingming just hummed a tune, swaying her shoulders.

“Wait—since when are you some fortune-telling granny? Isn’t your man a Party member? He’d never put up with you running around scamming people.”

“Hey, what do you mean, scamming?” Mingming wagged a finger. “I was just offering a little friendly help.” She held up the money and coupons. “And this isn’t for me—it’s for the gods.”

“The end of science is metaphysics!”

Wang Hu gave her a look full of contempt.

“Just wait two months and see if my words come true.” Mingming grinned smugly.

The truth was, she wasn’t really scamming. She’d borrowed a little power from the system to cleverly avert the disasters about to hit that wealthy household.

First, their elderly patriarch had nearly been tricked by a quack into taking a “remedy” that was actually poisonous. In reality, he’d just overeaten and needed rest.

Second, their three-year-old son would have been kidnapped by traffickers one night a month from now.

Those two disasters would have devastated the family. But thanks to Mingming, their fate had been rewritten.

Mingming: I really am a good person!

The meat and snacks she’d brought home a few days earlier had come from this same family.

The system was deeply suspicious of her motives, but Mingming looked perfectly innocent. “I swear, I only wanted to score some meat and pocket money.”

The system wasn’t entirely convinced.

Once they arrived at the market in town, Wang Hu went off to buy supplies for his family, while Mingming wandered freely, agreeing to meet up later.

She hadn’t planned to buy much—money was tight, and she didn’t dare waste it. But when she passed a bookstore, she went in and picked up a few secondhand books.

“What, you planning to take the college entrance exam?” the system asked.

“…What if I live that long? It’s the perfect chance to change my fate!” Mingming clenched her fist. “From abandoned wife of a sent-down youth to college student at a top university, finally reaching the peak of life! Rise, cannon-fodder side character!”

The system sneered. “Ha. Woman, you slipped up.”

“So you do want to change fate. Latching onto that rich family was part of your plan all along, wasn’t it?”

Mingming denied it flatly. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

“Oh, look at the time, we should head back—”

System: “Don’t play dumb! You just got here, for f***’s sake!”