He'd rather run than be turned into a cannon fodder for the broken engagement.

Sixty miles outside Zhongnan Prefecture City, there lived a landlord family, the Lin family. Within a radius of several miles, two mountain peaks belonged to the Lin family village.

There are at least several hundred, if not a thousand, tenant farmers, farmhands, and servants in the village, and many villagers from the surrounding area work for the Lin family.

—

The night was dark and the wind was high; the moon was hidden and the stars were dim.

Just as insects and beasts were silent, a cool breeze suddenly came, swaying the shadows of the trees. Then, several night owls cried out in the distance, "chirp chirp, coo coo coo," with the sound of their wings fluttering. It was already the dead of night, and this scene was even more eerie. Leng Huan was so frightened that he hurriedly ran faster.

Not far ahead was a dilapidated temple. He walked up and carefully pushed open the broken half-open wooden door, went inside and put down what he was carrying.

A roll of hemp rope, a white steamed bun, and an apple.

He offered steamed buns and apples as a sacrifice, then knelt down with a thud on the dirty and tattered prayer mat, clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and appeared to be praying. His expression was extremely devout.

He muttered words.

Namo Amitabha Buddha, Greatly Compassionate Bodhisattva, please grant me a return to my original world, considering my sincere prayers and prostrations over the past two weeks!

……

The air was quiet for a moment.

After finishing his prayers, Leng Huan suddenly stood up and looked at the tall clay Buddha statue on the incense burner. Over the years, the once vibrant colors of the Buddha statue had faded to almost nothing.

But the Bodhisattva remains kind and benevolent, and even that posture remains unchanged forever.

A gust of wind blew by, causing the prayer flags hanging nearby to flutter and casting shadows on the Buddha statue's face, making it appear somewhat dark. A slight sound came from the broken window, and Leng Huan felt a chill on the back of his neck.

The wind grew stronger and the sky grew darker, making the dilapidated temple in the mountains appear even more eerie.

The ignorant are fearless.

Those filled with resentment are fearless.

Leng Huan has both.

He suddenly picked up a hemp rope, tied a small stone to it, tiptoed, and flicked it onto the roof beam. The dust fell down with a "rustling" sound, and when he smelled it, he sneezed softly.

He quickly tied the noose, moved a stepping stone, and was about to hang himself when he suddenly heard a faint, hoarse sound—

"Xiao Huan, what are you doing?"

!

Leng Huan felt a chill run down his spine. He was so frightened that he slipped and fell to the ground, landing hard on his buttocks and letting out a loud "Ouch!" in pain.

-

"Grandma Zhou..." he called out blankly as he turned his head.

There stood a hunched old woman outside the door, her hair white but neatly combed, dressed in simple clothes and a simple hairpin. She walked in nimbly and helped Leng Huan up.

"You silly girl..." Granny Zhou was a neighbor who had taken good care of Leng Huan after he settled in Linjiazhuang. Her cloudy eyes swept over the scene in the temple, and she knew what he was trying to do. She sighed softly.

"It's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death. Why would you do something like this?"

"Come on, if something's wrong, why don't you talk to your mother-in-law? Please don't do anything rash..."

Leng Huan looked at the earnest old man, then at the hemp rope swaying on the roof beam, and the courage he had mustered completely dissipated.

He was dumbstruck.

-

Since leaving the prefectural city that day, he had walked all day, his feet blistered, until he finally stopped at Lin Family Village that night. He happened to find the village was hiring farmhands, so he stayed. He simply couldn't walk any further.

From being unfamiliar with the work to becoming proficient, he did all the dirty and hard work, cutting pig feed, herding cattle and sheep, feeding chickens and pigs. As a rich second-generation who grew up in the city, he had never experienced such hardship before. Fortunately, Grandma Zhou took care of him when he was on the verge of collapse.

But, but a few days ago he suddenly got his period... After careful recollection, he realized that the original owner started experiencing menstruation for the first time when she was fourteen years old, and each time she was in severe pain. However, in the Leng family, she had maids to serve her and various supplies to use.

Leng Huan had nothing but a dilapidated house, an old straw mat and an old quilt given to him by Granny Zhou...

He had no way to solve his physiological problems and had to confess his identity to Granny Zhou. Only with her help did he get through this difficult time.

Those few days were worse than death. He was in so much physical pain that his face turned pale and his muscles and bones ached. It was even more painful than having erectile dysfunction.

Psychologically, they were forced to accept their changed values.

He was cold and aloof, but he became her.

-

This was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

While herding cattle, Leng Huan often came to this dilapidated temple to pray that one day he would open his eyes and return to his original world, where all of this was just a nightmare.

Days passed, and each day she thought of a different way to commit suicide: jumping into a river, eating poisonous mushrooms, choking, cutting her wrists...

In the end, he chose the simplest, most effective, and most economical method—hanging.

Legend has it that women who are menstruating and have bloody, unclean marks are not allowed to enter the temple, and she specifically waited until today when her period was over before coming.

Unexpectedly, Granny Zhou saw it.

-

"Xiao Huan, don't do anything foolish. Listen to your mother-in-law; there's no hurdle in life that can't be overcome..."

"You're still young, you have a long life ahead of you."

"You will surely have boundless blessings in the future. Once you overcome this hurdle, everything will go smoothly for you."

Grandma Zhou was afraid that she might do something rash again, so she hugged her and patted her back, talking to her like she was comforting a child.

As Leng Huan thought about it, she felt increasingly bitter. Her nose stung, and she burst into tears, hugging Granny Zhou, who was two inches shorter than her, and weeping bitterly.

"Wow! I'm so miserable..."

“Wooooooaaaaa…”

Grandma Zhou was startled. For some reason, the old woman also started wiping away tears, and the two of them hugged each other and cried bitterly.

A man doesn't easily shed tears, it's just that his sore spot hasn't been touched!

Leng Huan was thinking about his own tragic life.

Grandma Zhou was thinking of her husband and daughter who had died young.

-

He was once a man of strong character and unyielding spirit, but alas, he has become a beautiful woman in a single day!

-

After crying his fill, as he left the dilapidated temple, Leng Huan glanced at the Buddha statue, still compassionate and making an OK sign, and cursed inwardly.

Ah!

Not OK at all!

She ran over and took the steamed buns she had worked so hard to earn, the apples she couldn't bear to eat, and the hemp rope the Lin family used to tether their cow. Supporting Granny Zhou, she left the dilapidated temple without looking back.

I'm not going to die.

Lao Tzu will find another way to go home. Can't he cultivate himself?

The original owner was such a fool, obsessed with love. He had the opportunity but didn't cherish it. He was already seventeen years old and still hadn't reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

Leng Huan decided to work hard to save up for his journey to a distant mountain gate to become an apprentice and cultivate immortality.

As long as she works hard, one day she'll be able to survive until she ascends to immortality and return...home!

-

The weather was fine, the sky was clear and blue, and the distant mountains were verdant.

Under the scorching sun, Leng Huan lay on the grass by the reeds, his face covered with a lotus leaf for shade, one leg dangling in the air, looking very relaxed.

"Quack quack!" Suddenly, a wild duck flew out from the dense reeds with a start, startling Leng Huan who was lying down. She sat up abruptly and was facing a greenish-brown grasshopper on a reed leaf. The grasshopper was also startled and jumped onto Leng Huan's nose with a kick.

They're really taking advantage of my kindness.

"..." Leng Huan grabbed it, pinching its two legs and taking its life.

"Sang Biao!!"

She then shouted towards the reeds, making "slurping" sounds as she spoke.

A moment later, a chubby yellow puppy jumped out of the reeds, barked at Leng Huan a few times, and wagged its tail.

"Sang Biao! Where have you been?"

"Wang Wang Wang!"

Sang Biao was a puppy that Granny Zhou found to keep Leng Huan company after the incident at the dilapidated temple. It was only four months old, round and plump, and looked very silly and cute, a bit like a Shiba Inu.

Leng Huan picked up Sang Biao and rubbed his head. He looked up at the water buffalo that was leisurely grazing not far away. Hearing the commotion, the water buffalo stood quietly with grass in its mouth and its ears perked up, not moving at all. When it saw that it was its own cowherd, the water buffalo immediately lost interest, flicked its tail, and continued to graze.

"Didn't we say not to go chasing ducks in the reeds? Be careful you don't fall into the river and get swept away!" Leng Huan threatened Sang Biao.

"Woof woof..." Sang Biao's dog face was full of innocence.

"Good boy, my good dog!"

"Wang!"

-

Only when the setting sun gilded the distant mountains with a golden edge and the egrets flew away from the fields did the young cowherd lead his cow against the setting sun toward his owner's house at the foot of the mountain.

"Grandma Zhou, I'm back."

After returning the cow to the Lin family, the man and his dog stepped into the simple courtyard.

"Hey, Xiao Huan, it's time to wash your hands and eat."

"Yes!" Leng Huan responded, ran to his humble abode next door to get some cornbread, and ate dinner with Granny Zhou.

There was only congee, pickled vegetables, cornbread, and a bowl of fish soup on the table. Leng Huan blinked and asked, "Grandma, where did the fish come from?"

Farmers live a simple life, and meat is a rare treat.

Simple meals and peaceful days. If Leng Huan hadn't come from the bustling Northern County City and hadn't possessed the original owner's memories, she would have thought that everything was no different from ordinary ancient life.

In reality, there is no difference.

If she doesn't leave here.

Grandma Zhou had a kind face, and the wrinkles around her eyes were very gentle. She smiled and said, "The Lin family opened their fishpond today, and I bought one."

"Here, have a taste."

"Oh, I see." Leng Huan looked at the fish meat the old woman had put in her bowl, listened to her urging, and slowly picked up a little fish meat and put it in her mouth. It tasted a bit fishy, ​​but it was still acceptable.

Actually, Leng Huan doesn't like eating fish because there are too many fish bones, and it's easy to get them stuck in your throat.

But she's lucky to have anything to eat right now, and she's not picky about food.

After finishing a large bowl of fish soup, showing off two steamed buns, and letting out a satisfied burp, Leng Huan prepared to go to the kitchen to wash the dishes as usual.

Just as he stood up, Grandma Zhou called out to him, "Xiao Huan, wait a minute."

"What's wrong with my mother-in-law?"

"Manager Wang wants you to go with him to the prefectural city to deliver fish tomorrow. After you come back, he'll arrange for you to work in the kitchen of a restaurant in the prefectural city, so you won't have to run around outside in the wind and rain..."

Going into town?

Leng Huan was stunned for a moment. After thinking about it carefully, she realized that apart from the Liu family, she had no enemies in the city. And now that so much time had passed, the storm should have died down.

But, "If I go into the city, what will you do alone?"

"Oh dear, this old woman is used to being alone. I'm perfectly fine on my own."

Leng Huan thought about it and decided it wasn't a bad idea. He would go and check on things tomorrow: "Okay, the restaurant should have closing times, so I can come back to see you from time to time."

I'm afraid even an old woman like Granny Zhou can live better than Leng Huan.

After washing the dishes, she lay down in her humble abode, a place where the villagers had let her stay temporarily out of pity.

Turning over, Leng Huan looked at a small spider that had fallen from the window frame and felt a headache coming on. He wondered how to earn money to become an apprentice at the Misty Immortal Sect in the east of the Divine Dynasty.

-