“When you first told me about this timeline, you only said that after Chen Weiguo died, Yan Junsheng used the chance to divorce and return to the city. So in the original timeline, how did Chen Weiguo die?”
The system fell silent.
Ming Ming pressed urgently, “The way things are now doesn’t match the original timeline, does it?”
“You’re right,” the system finally spoke. “In the original timeline, Chen Weiguo didn’t die from illness—he died in an accident.”
“An accident?”
After another pause, the system explained, “In the original timeline, Chen Weiguo drowned at night while saving a drunk who had fallen into a pit of water. The drunk survived—Chen Weiguo didn’t.”
Ming Ming stared, stunned, unable to believe what she was hearing.
“That drunk… it was… it was…” She held her breath.
“Yes. It was Xiwazi.”
A buzz rang in Ming Ming’s head. “So… it was because I had a whim and saved Xiwazi from that disaster, changed his fate—and also changed Chen Weiguo’s fate. He didn’t die the way he was supposed to in the original timeline. That means now… my dad, right now…”
“Be optimistic,” the system said simply.
Ming Ming’s tears burst forth uncontrollably.
“This is so damn ridiculous. What if I hadn’t cared about Xiwazi’s fate? What if I hadn’t warned him?”
The system answered calmly, “A butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, and a month later, a tornado touches down in Texas. That’s your people’s theory.”
“You’ve done your best.” For once, it spoke gently. “With your stubborn refusal to accept fate, even if you hadn’t saved Xiwazi, some other change might still have altered Chen Weiguo’s path. At least he’s still alive now, isn’t he?”
“And… what about me?” What she really wanted to ask was: What about me and Yan Junsheng?
“Unfortunately, just like before, I can’t see your future anymore. And the female lead hasn’t even appeared yet.”
Ming Ming said nothing. The system sensed she was sinking into despair again and snapped, frustrated, “Yan Junsheng treats you the way he does… do you really think he’ll still turn back and choose the female lead? Come on!”
She muttered, “Who can say for sure? And wasn’t it you who told me he sent money and ration tickets to the female lead—just to guard against me?”
Ming Ming wiped her tears. Yan Junsheng walked over and sat down beside her, handing her the parcel.
“What’s this?” Ming Ming blinked at him, puzzled.
He jerked his chin toward it. “Hungry? Open it and try.”
She untied the package. Inside were several oiled paper bundles, releasing a strong fragrance of pastries.
She set them on her lap and opened them one by one: ox-tongue pastries, glutinous rice rolls, date cakes, hawthorn jelly, and even mooncakes—half flaky, half Cantonese-style.
Yan Junsheng sat close beside her.
“Last time you mentioned these, the only one I knew was the ox-tongue pastry. So I asked a friend in the city to look for the rest. I told her that if she couldn’t find them, she should at least send something similar. I forgot to mention our Juanzi doesn’t like hawthorn, though.” He glanced at the hawthorn jelly with a guilty look.
Ming Ming picked up a piece, took a bite, and her whole face scrunched up. She forced it down and pouted. “Hawthorn jelly is awful.”
“If it’s awful, don’t eat it. Here, try the ox-tongue pastry you’ve been dreaming about.” Yan Junsheng took the half-eaten hawthorn piece from her, popped it into his own mouth, and handed her a fresh pastry.
Biting into it, Ming Ming lowered her head, tears spilling down uncontrollably. Yan Junsheng didn’t tell her not to cry—he just wrapped an arm around her gently and let her lean on his chest.
Through her sobs, Ming Ming cursed silently: Damn useless system, feeding me false intel…
The system decided not to speak, though it was also on the verge of collapse. Back then, it had been so sure—what a cunning male lead, always scheming! But the letter he’d sent to his childhood sweetheart had only said:
“…Life in the countryside is harsh. My wife mentioned wanting pastries, but I couldn’t find the kinds she named in town. I’m sending money and tickets along with this letter—please help look for those pastries. If not, then send some traditional ones like ox-tongue pastries. Many thanks.”
System: Ha. Love-struck fools never end well.
Yan Junsheng held her quietly, making small talk.
“You really like ox-tongue pastries? You’ve had them before?”
Sniffling, Ming Ming answered thickly, “Someone gave me one once.”
Junsheng made an understanding sound and said gently, “I heard pineapple cakes from the south are all the rage in the city now. When we go, we’ll buy some to try.”
After a pause, Ming Ming murmured a soft “Mm” in reply.
“Why did you come back so late?” she finally asked.
Junsheng explained, “Uncle Zhao mixed up my package with someone else’s. It took a while to realize it wasn’t mine. Just then, the postman arrived with more deliveries, so I waited. Turned out one was actually mine.”
“Oh.”
“On the way back, I ran into Guodong fighting with his in-laws—they nearly came to blows.” He chuckled. “I was about to stay and listen so I could tell you the whole story later—you love that kind of gossip. But then someone told me Dad had coughed up blood, so I ran back immediately.”
“Did I scare you?” He kissed her lightly on the temple. “I should’ve come back earlier.”
Ming Ming didn’t answer. Instead, she said, “You missed some big news. If you’d come back any later, you might’ve heard it yourself…”
“Oh? What news?” Junsheng asked casually.
“Do you know why Zhang Guodong was causing a scene? Our village got two city-return slots. He wants to ditch his countryside household and go back to being an intellectual in the city.”
Junsheng froze. “That’s what it was about?”
In a flash, all his earlier suspicions and the faintly strange behavior of Ming Ming and her father connected in his mind. He realized what she must be thinking. “Wait—did you think I…”
Ming Ming ducked her head against his chest, silent.
Junsheng’s heart sank. “Do you really trust me that little?”
Can I trust you? she thought bitterly.
“Did I do something to make you feel insecure?”
She shook her head gloomily. She couldn’t very well tell him she already knew the “original plot” and wasn’t expecting him to change.
Quietly, she said, “Aunt Huang told me that He Lin said your family’s situation has already been resolved. And in all the nearby villages, none of them got quotas—only ours suddenly got two…”
Junsheng snorted. “Don’t listen to her nonsense. Those slots are allocated regularly. Either other villages didn’t make a fuss about it, or they haven’t gotten the news yet. It’s just that in the past year or two, so many have wanted to go back, but no one could. People are desperate.”
“Recently, I did hear from home that there was a breakthrough. I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have kept it from you. Partly, I didn’t know how to explain it, but more importantly, I didn’t want to disrupt our life here before I had a solid plan for our future.” He reached over and brushed crumbs from the corner of her lips. “Want to try another?”
He picked up a date cake and held it to her.
Ming Ming bit into it. “The date paste is bitter.”
“Really?” Junsheng took a bite from the same spot she had. “You’re right, it is. Then we won’t eat it. Try this one instead—the glutinous roll is sweet.”
“Small bites, don’t choke.” He quickly finished off the bitter date cake she didn’t like, then continued, “If I wanted to leave, I wouldn’t need one of those quotas. I could have arranged everything quietly. I’m here because I don’t want to go—I want to stay with you.”
In a low voice, he added, “I want to build a life with you.”
Ming Ming’s heart stirred.
“Once we get Dad treated, we’ll go live in the city together, all right?”
She couldn’t help but be moved. She gave a faint nod.
Relieved, Junsheng hugged her and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize,” Ming Ming said softly, eyes lowered. “I’ve been keeping secrets too. Remember that wealthy farmer from the next village? I told his fortune and helped him avoid two disasters. He came to thank me a while ago—gave me a lot of money… and ten gold bars.”
“So, we’re even.”
Junsheng gave a helpless laugh and poked her forehead. “That’s your money. You didn’t have to tell me.”
Ming Ming lifted her head. “But you gave me all your money.”
“Didn’t I tell you I still have some hidden away? Besides, giving you mine was my way of saying that in this family, what’s mine is yours—and what’s yours is still yours.”
“Our Juanzi is a little rich lady now. I’ll have to cozy up to you from now on.” He pressed his forehead against hers, speaking with affection.
Two days later, after settling everything at home and asking neighbors to look after the livestock, Ming Ming and Junsheng boarded a northbound train with Chen Weiguo.
Amid the noise of the crowded carriage, the radio broadcast news:
“…On the 24th, domestic gold prices were adjusted from the fixed rate of 7.05 yuan per gram to 63.85 yuan per gram. Experts note that this price is now closer to the international market rate. In the future, domestic gold may shift from a fixed system to floating prices, fully aligning with international markets…”
Ming Ming heard it clearly and gasped.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152