Chúc Diêu felt like she had transmigrated, and it was a transmigration without any warning. A second ago, she was still sitting in front of her computer, chatting with friends, discussing some flaws in the company's newly released online game. Immediately after, she found herself sitting in this thatched-roof room, still holding a white mouse in her hand.
She sat there for a full ten minutes, completely unresponsive, staring intently at the mouse in her hand. Instinctively, she searched for the monitor and CPU that had suddenly vanished. All she saw was a dilapidated table in front of her; there was no monitor or CPU anywhere. Damn it, she couldn't even find the keyboard.
“You brat, what are you still dawdling here for?”
Someone pushed the door open and raised a hand, intending to hit her. She instinctively dodged, and the mouse in her hand was knocked flying, rolling away and disappearing from sight.
Chúc Diêu looked up at the person beside her. This was a very thin woman, with deep wrinkles etched on her forehead. Her dark clothes were streaked with greyish-white, faded from countless washes. Her entire being exuded the aura of ‘I am a rural woman.’ Most importantly, she was wearing ancient attire.
“Who are you?”
The woman flared up.
“Who am I? Have you slept so much you’ve lost your mind? I’m your old mother, who else! Hurry up and boil water! The sun’s already on your butt, and you’re still sitting in your room? Do you want a beating?”
The woman’s first strike missed. Without another word, she immediately grabbed Chúc Diêu and dragged her out the door.
Chúc Diêu thought she needed to explain herself clearly. Unfortunately, she didn't get the chance. By the time she regained her senses, she had already been thrown into the kitchen.
Looking at the room filled with firewood and a stove, Chúc Diêu felt that there must be something wrong with her transmigration method. She was clearly wearing her pajamas; nothing had changed, proving that her physical body had transmigrated. So where did that mother come from? It was clearly a body transmigration, yet it had a soul transmigration-like setting. How could that be? Most importantly, she didn't even know how to start a fire. Boil water, my ass!
Although she knew that transmigration was as common as cabbages in the market lately, and very popular, she couldn't for the life of her figure out why it had to be her turn. She was a certified homebody, through and through.
Because she had been passionate about computers since childhood, after graduation, she got a job exploring online games. She diligently grinded games with a bunch of her single friends. Following the most popular online game in the country, “Xian Yu,” she became increasingly skilled, and her main job at the company became maintenance.
Tracking down bugs in the game and fixing them. She was the legendary GM. Someone like her, transmigrated, and without a single advantage? Who the hell transmigrated her? Come out, she swore she’d beat them to death, or she wasn’t herself!
—
Three months later. In the blink of an eye, Chúc Diêu had been in this world for three months. She had a general understanding of her surroundings. The place she lived was a small mountain village. Because most of the villagers had the surname Chúc, it was called Chúc Family Village. And her name was also Chúc Diêu. The middle-aged woman from that day was her mother, a widow in the village. It was said that the mother and daughter had relied on each other for over ten years.
She had once tried to explain her true identity to this nominal mother. Unfortunately, the woman didn't believe her. Instead, she forcefully dragged her to Doctor Wang at the village entrance, saying she needed acupuncture. The kind-faced middle-aged doctor stroked his beard while taking out more than ten silver needles, each as thick as a finger.
In an instant, Chúc Diêu completely forgot what integrity was. She hugged the neck of her "found" mother, sobbing uncontrollably:
“Mom, you really are my birth mother!”
“Finally sober? No more delirious talk.”
Her adoptive mother, with a pained expression, wiped Chúc Diêu's tears, not forgetting to turn and praise Doctor Wang:
"Doctor Wang is truly a miracle doctor! My daughter was cured the moment you removed the needles."
"Oh, not at all, not at all!"
Doctor Wang smiled smugly, shaking the silver needle in his hand as he said:
"Madam Zhu, you're too kind. To be safe, perhaps I should still give Diêu'er a few more needles, just to prevent a relapse."
"..."
Relapse my ass.
In short, the memory of it was terrifying. From then on, Chúc Diêu dared not mention her transmigration again, content to stay in Chúc Family Village as an old maid! That's right, she was an old maid. When she transmigrated, she was already 28 years old. At 28, still unmarried, she was an old maid if there ever was one.
As for why she hadn't married, her adoptive mother had never mentioned it, and Chúc Diêu was fine with that. She only feared that one day, a husband would pop out of nowhere; then, even if Doctor Wang were to stab her with a wooden pestle, she wouldn't care.
"Diêu'er, going to wash clothes?"
Just as she was about to head to the riverbank, she met Doctor Wang on the road. He looked at her, smiling as brightly as a sunflower, yet smelling of chrysanthemums.
"Un-Uncle Wang!"
Instinctively, Chúc Diêu took a step back, fearing he might pull out a silver needle from somewhere.
She raised the wooden basin of clothes to shield herself.
"Mother said it's a beautiful sunny day, and told me to wash the quilts and blankets."
"Is that so!"
Doctor Wang laughed heartily, exclaiming:
"Truly a diligent young lady, if not for..."
He stopped mid-sentence, as if he had mentioned something he shouldn't have, and looked at her apologetically.
"Uncle Wang, are you looking for me for something?"
Seeing his hesitant look, Chúc Diêu had no choice but to ask.
Doctor Wang gave an apologetic smile, pushing the little boy beside him:
"Well, you see, I heard that today in town, an immortal is choosing disciples. Everyone is going to try their luck, and I want to let my boy go and try his fortune. But your aunt just happens to be sick, so I can't go, that's why..."
Only then did Chúc Diêu notice the little boy holding his hand. He was about seven or eight years old, very handsome, with a small, chubby face puffed out, glaring at her angrily, making one just want to pinch his cheeks.
Chúc Diêu looked up at Doctor Wang, not quite understanding.
"Uncle Wang, you want me to take him?"
Doctor Wang nodded, looking even more embarrassed:
"I know this might inconvenience you, but an immortal only comes to our village to choose people once every ten years. Although the number of people chosen can be counted on one's fingers, it's still an opportunity. If he's chosen, he'll become an immortal."
Become an immortal? Chúc Diêu didn't believe in such unscientific things. She vaguely smelled a scam.
But Doctor Wang was from the same village as her, and since she wasn't going to transmigrate back anytime soon, they'd always be seeing each other. Helping with a small matter was the right thing to do. Therefore, she said nothing more and immediately agreed.
Doctor Wang thanked her profusely, took the wooden basin from her hands, indicating he would help her take it home, then pushed the clearly angry little boy towards her. He turned and left briskly.
Once he was far away, the little boy shook her hand off, snorted coldly, and pouted in disdain.
"Let me tell you, even if you take care of me, I won't marry you."
Chúc Diêu was surprised and found it amusing. She reached out and pinched his small, fair, rosy face.
"You're just a child, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"I'm not talking nonsense!"
The boy dodged her hand, rubbing his pinched, sore cheeks:
"I heard people say that no one in the village dares to marry you, which is why you're still unmarried at 28. All men want to stay far away, otherwise, if you cling to them, it will ruin their entire life."
Even with a ravenous hunger, she couldn't bring herself to lay a hand on a little kid.
"Explain yourself," she demanded. "How could I possibly ruin your life?"
The little kid's argument grew even more logical and convincing:
"You can't have children. Marrying you would mean the end of my family line, so of course it would ruin my entire life."
Infertile! Zhu Yao was struck dumb as if by lightning. Impossible! Even though she was a homebody, she had annual health check-ups, so how could she not know she was infertile? Even if Heaven wanted to rationalize why a 28-year-old transmigrated woman was still unmarried, it didn't need to slander her like this!
"I'm the only son in my family, so I won't marry you. Just give up!"
The little kid clasped his hands behind his back and emphasized solemnly.
"Argh! This is infuriating!"
He really is a brat! If you don't beat him for three days, he'll climb the walls and tear down the tiles. He deserves a good spanking! She rolled up her sleeves, grabbed the kid, and forcefully spanked his bottom.
"Who told you to be so impolite, daring to speak nonsense, daring to call me infertile? You're infertile! Your whole family is infertile!"
The little kid got scared and struggled for dear life, but how could a seven or eight-year-old child compare to a 28-year-old adult (who was still unmarried)? After dozens of slaps, the kid's snow-white bottom was blooming bright red.
The little kid initially struggled, then wailed, and finally gave up resisting. "Go ahead and cry, cry some more! Anyway, Doctor Wang has long since gone far away. Even if you cry until your throat is hoarse, no one will come to save you, mwahahaha... Hmm... doesn't that sound a bit off?"
A short while later, Zhu Yao released the boy, whose face was a tear-streaked mess. She watched him wipe away his tears and pull up his pants. *Indeed, one shouldn't spoil children when disciplining them.*
"I'll let it slide this time. But if you're still so impolite next time, I'll..."
Zhu Yao drew out her warning, satisfied to see the little kid trembling all over. She laughed heartily, even more delighted:
"I'll make it so you can't get out of bed, got it?"
"Wait, did that sound weird? Oh well, never mind!"
"Let's go, we're heading to town. Remember to stick close!"
Zhu Yao led the way onto the main road. About five steps later, the little kid limped after her, his small lips pouting so much they could cut a plate.