Arriving at Guozhong Street, Qin Chaoyu stopped her bicycle, parked it in the designated area, and then carried Tuan Tuan into the flower and bird market.
The streets were lined with shops selling flowers, fish, seeds, and more. However, Qin Chaoyu had deliberately chosen this time to visit because she wanted to browse the goods sold by villagers at roadside stalls. So, instead of heading straight to her destination, she strolled leisurely, taking in the sights.
The stall owners didn’t mind that she was just looking and not buying, continuing to enthusiastically promote their wares.
When she reached a stall run by an elderly farmer, Qin Chaoyu paused and asked, “Uncle, is this wild grapevine?”
Wild grapes, also known as mountain grapes, were much smaller than regular grapes and typically grew in mountainous areas. Not only were they deliciously sweet and sour, but they also had high medicinal value, capable of treating chronic nephritis, urinary difficulties, hepatitis, stomach heat-induced vomiting, rheumatoid arthritis, and other ailments. In the past, during the right season, Qin Chaoyu would always make a point to gather some while collecting herbs in the mountains. They were a rare delicacy in the city. This time, she hadn’t had the chance to plant any in her space, so stumbling upon them now was a pleasant surprise.
The old man smiled warmly. “You’ve got a sharp eye, young lady. Yes, this is wild grapevine. I happened to find it while up in the mountains and cut a few sections to bring down, thinking I might sell them.”
Qin Chaoyu examined the vine. The leaves were still fresh and green, indicating it had been recently cut and could likely be transplanted successfully.
“Uncle, how much for this?”
The old man replied, “Young lady, I won’t cheat you. Wild grapes are tasty, but they’re mountain plants—hard to grow in the city. If you really want them, you can have these sections for 50 yuan.”
Qin Chaoyu wasn’t worried about whether it would survive. With her space’s miraculous properties, nothing could fail to thrive.
“Deal!”
She handed over 50 yuan, and the old man, pleasantly surprised by her quick purchase, happily tied the vines together with a rope for easier carrying.
“Here you go, young lady. This’ll make it easier to carry.”
“Great, thank you, Uncle!”
Qin Chaoyu lifted the grapevine and continued deeper into the market.
She decided to make quick work of her shopping. Though the grapevine wasn’t heavy, it was cumbersome. After scanning the stalls and finding nothing else of particular interest, she headed straight for a large shop where she ordered a variety of fruit saplings and vegetable seeds. Since she was buying in bulk, the shopkeeper agreed to deliver them to her home.
By the time she returned to her bicycle, a crowd had gathered around a small stall, murmuring excitedly.
“Is that an orchid?”
“Yes, and a rare Phalaenopsis at that. Not as precious as the top-tier varieties like the Lotus Petal Orchid or the Plain Crown Lotus, but still quite valuable. Too bad the roots are damaged—it’s useless now.”
“What a waste! Look at its condition. If it had survived, it would’ve bloomed beautifully. Such a shame!”
Qin Chaoyu squeezed through the crowd to examine the orchid.
She didn’t know much about orchids, but she did know they could be extremely valuable—some selling for hundreds of thousands or even millions if well-cultivated. Given her current financial struggles and her ability to revive plants in her space, buying this orchid was a no-brainer.
As the crowd dispersed, lamenting the orchid’s fate, Qin Chaoyu approached the stall owner.
“Hello, are you selling this orchid?”
The stall owner, scratching his head in frustration, looked up. He was kicking himself for his carelessness. He’d stumbled upon the orchid in the mountains but hadn’t recognized it before it bloomed. Thinking it might fetch some money, he’d carelessly dug it up, damaging the roots in the process. Now, realizing it was a prized orchid—one of the most sought-after plants by villagers—he was filled with regret.
“You… still want to buy it?” he asked hesitantly.
“Yes. How much?”
Though remorseful, the stall owner was honest. “Young lady, you probably heard—this is a Phalaenopsis orchid. It’s valuable, but the roots are ruined. It won’t survive, so it’s worthless now.”
Qin Chaoyu feigned indifference. “I’m just curious. Whether it lives or not doesn’t matter. Just name your price.”
“Uh… 20 yuan. Just covering my effort.”
She paid in cash and took the half-dead orchid seedling.
By the time she got home, it was nearly 10 p.m., and her purchases had already been delivered.
After locking the door, she entered her space.
Compared to the polluted city air, the space was a paradise—lush, serene, and refreshingly pure.
The space was vast, stretching beyond sight, but its sheer size made it feel somewhat empty. Aside from distant mountains, most of the land was untouched. Every time Qin Chaoyu entered, she appeared near a small bamboo hut—her sect’s repository of medical knowledge. Behind it grew rare medicinal herbs, including ginseng as thick as a baby’s wrist, its age unknown.
But the space’s true treasure wasn’t the herbs—it was a well to the left of the hut. The water inside was miraculous. Drinking it had once boosted her internal energy, and it could instantly replenish depleted energy. For plants, it accelerated growth and fruiting. Adding it to medicines enhanced their potency. Qin Chaoyu believed only “spiritual spring water” could describe it.
Still, she used it sparingly, fearing it might run dry. Somehow, she knew the space’s existence depended on it.
As breathtaking as the space was, Qin Chaoyu had no time to admire it now. She’d long wanted to cultivate the land but had lacked access to many fruit saplings in the mountains. Now in the city, she’d bought saplings from all over—her space could grow anything.
The downside? She had to plant them all herself.
Tuan Tuan circled her a few times before leaping into her arms with a chirp.
*”Squeak, squeak!”* (Master, why are you spacing out? Get to work!)
Qin Chaoyu gave the squirrel a resigned look and patted its head. “Tuan Tuan, if I finish all this work, I’ll be *wrecked*.”
*Wrecked?* Tuan Tuan’s tiny brain couldn’t grasp the concept, so it simply tugged at her clothes, urging her to start.
“Alright, alright!” Qin Chaoyu chuckled. “I’m working, you little taskmaster!”
*”Squeak!”*
The workload was overwhelming, so after six hours, she called it a day, planning to resume later.
Exhausted but satisfied, she stretched her sore back and admired her progress.
Sure, it was tiring—but imagining the space filled with fruit trees, heavy with ripe produce, made it all worthwhile.
—
**Yuzhou, Gu Family Residence**
“Dad, let’s invite Dr. Li from Tongrentang to examine you. Your condition is worsening by the day,” Gu Zhixue, the current head of the Gu family, said anxiously to his bedridden father.
He was deeply worried. As his father aged, typical elderly ailments had emerged, compounded by old injuries from his youth. Despite consulting top specialists, nothing had helped. Recently, his father had felt well enough to go out—only to collapse on the street. Thankfully, a young woman had saved him. But since returning, his health had declined further. Now, even walking was difficult.
Gu Guohai coughed weakly and waved a hand. “It’s no use. I know my body.” He understood his time was running out—no doctor could change that. He’d lived a full life, enjoying wealth and filial descendants. He had no regrets.
Gu Zhixue’s eyes reddened. “Dad!” He knew his father’s thoughts, but accepting them was another matter. Watching his father fade away was unbearable. At just over sixty, he was too young.
Seeing his usually stoic eldest son so emotional, Gu Guohai smiled tenderly. He’d been strict with Zhixue, rarely showing affection to maintain a stern image—unlike with his younger son. Now, he felt remorse. “Zhixue, I’ve had a good life. Birth, aging, sickness, death—it’s the natural order. Don’t force what can’t be.”
Tears welling, Gu Zhixue knelt by the bed, clutching his father’s hand. “Dad, let’s try one more time. Please! Just once!”
Unable to refuse, Gu Guohai closed his eyes. “Fine.” After this, Zhixue would finally let go.
Leaving his father’s room, Gu Zhixue’s mood remained heavy. Entering the living room, he spotted his eldest son, Gu Zhiqian, sprawled lazily on the sofa. Anger flared.
“Gu Zhiqian! Look at yourself—dressed like a slob, skipping work, gallivanting with your useless friends. Do you know what you are? A delinquent!”
Gu Zhiqian bolted upright, stammering, “Dad, I don’t race cars or harm the family. I’m not *that* bad…”
Internally, he groaned. With his grandfather ill, his father had been on edge. To avoid becoming a target, he’d kept a low profile—only to run into him now.
*Talk about bad luck.*
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage