132 Returning Home in Glory

Chen Zimo brought the car to a halt, and everyone leaned out of the windows to look. "Where? Where?"

Sure enough, not far ahead, a cow stood nonchalantly in the middle of the road, making the already narrow passage feel even tighter.

To save time, Lin Xia and her companions had chosen to take the levee road rather than the wider main highway. Originally, there was no road on the levee; however, the standard route from Rongcheng to Xishui Town was quite long, and as the number of cars increased, traffic became increasingly congested. The government had funded the construction of a road along the embankment, allowing private vehicles to pass through for greater speed and convenience.

The banks of the levee were covered in green grass, with woods below and farmland and small villages not far off, leading many farmers to let their cattle graze freely on the slopes. But how on earth had this cow managed to scramble up onto the road?

The group stared at the bovine obstruction, momentarily stunned.

"What do we do? Are we supposed to drive through it?" Sun Xiaoxiao muttered.

Zhao Qian rolled her eyes at her. "That’s definitely out of the question. A cow like that costs several thousand yuan. You want someone coming after us for our lives?"

"Then what now?"

Lin Xia examined the situation closely. She noticed that perhaps because such incidents were common, the dirt on both sides of the cement road had been widened significantly. She pointed to the edges and said, "Brother Chen, see if you can slowly drive past along the sides."

Chen Zimo looked and shook his head. "No, the road is too narrow, and the dirt shoulders aren't stable. If we try to force it, the wheels could slip off at any moment, and we’d tumble down."

Lin Xia finally understood why there had been accidents here in her previous life—some vehicles had indeed rolled off the embankment. She suggested, "It seems we have no choice but to find a way to lead the cow away."

With that, the group looked at each other. Although she came from the countryside, Lin Xia’s family hadn't been farmers, and she had only ever seen such large animals from a distance, never up close. The same went for Xie Xitong and the others.

Just as they were feeling at a loss, Zhao Xin chuckled. "I’ll go down and lure the cow away."

She opened the car door and walked toward the animal. Her graceful, slender figure contrasted sharply with the massive cow, making her look all the more delicate.

Zhao Qian whispered, "Today, I finally understand what it means when they say 'a beautiful flower planted in cow dung.'" The group burst into laughter.

Without any dramatic movements, Zhao Xin simply took hold of the halter, and the cow slowly followed her toward the bank, clearing the road.

When she returned to the car and saw everyone staring at her in shock, Zhao Xin laughed. "What’s wrong? Don't you recognize me anymore?"

"Sister, you're truly amazing! I’ll pour some water for you to wash your hands." Zhao Qian sycophantically opened a bottle of mineral water to help her.

Zhao Xin smiled. She had noticed that the more she used the items from her space, the stronger her personal charisma became. While animals—not being enlightened—had the sharpest instincts, people were far more complex and didn't notice the subtle changes in her. They simply felt that she had become even more beautiful and approachable after not seeing her for a while.

After washing her hands, Chen Zimo started the engine and drove toward their destination.

"Sister Xin, how did you do that? My legs turn to jelly just looking at that cow; I wouldn't dare get near it," Sun Xiaoxiao said with great interest.

Zhao Xin laughed. "It's nothing. My family raised cattle back home, so I'm no stranger to them."

Lin Xia understood. That was true—she herself had grown up in town and rarely saw cattle, whereas Zhao Xin’s home was in a village; it was quite possible she had herded them as a child. Plus, with that miraculous space of hers, nothing seemed impossible for her. In contrast, Lin Xia felt her own space was practically useless.

"We're here. This is my home." The car stopped in front of an old, two-story house. Lin Xia stood before the red wooden door, her emotions a complex mix. Having been uninhabited for nearly a year, the house looked much more dilapidated and desolate than before.

"I'll go open the door." Lin Xia took the key from her pocket, her expression calm.

Watching her, You Xin suddenly felt an urge to pull her into his arms. It was hard to believe such a crumbling house had raised a person like her.

The red paint on the door was peeling, and on it, her father had written in white chalk: "Xiaxia, come to Uncle Xia's house for dinner after school."

Sun Xiaoxiao read the line curiously. "Xiaxia, what does this mean?"

Looking at the writing that had survived the elements, Lin Xia felt a wave of nostalgia. "Just some childhood memories. Come in and take a look. No one has lived here for a long time, and it hasn't been maintained, so it might be a bit dirty. Don't mind it."

She opened the door. Xie Xitong looked in: the entrance was a main hall, empty of furniture, facing a small altar dedicated to the gods and ancestors. A side door was locked tight. Beside it was a hallway leading to a small living room and kitchen, with stairs off to the side. Lin Xia led everyone upstairs.

"This is my and my brother’s bedroom." She opened the door to her room. It was only about a dozen square meters. The walls were covered in low-quality lime, with patches of gray cement showing through; there was certainly no decoration to speak of.

A small single bed sat in the corner, next to a makeshift desk that her father had likely built from scrap wood. The corners of the desk and the chair were polished smooth, a testament to the hours spent studying there.

Lin Xia picked up a faded brown bear sitting on the desk. It was clearly a male bear, but she had tied a pink bow around its neck. A trace of a smile flickered in You Xin’s eyes.

She was surprised to see that the flowers on the balcony, which she had often watered with water from her space, hadn't completely died. It seemed the water wasn't entirely useless after all.

Behind the house was a small garden, carved into plots where vegetables had once grown. In the center stood a large gardenia tree, with a few blossoms still clinging to the branches, casting a faint, sweet fragrance on the breeze. Not far away was a small river, and across it stretched endless fields of green, a view that made one's heart feel expansive.

"No wonder you’ve been so humble and composed since you were young, Xiaxia. It’s because you grew up in such a place," Zhao Xin said with a hint of envy. She had lived in the countryside, but it was nothing like this. If she had grown up in such an environment, perhaps she wouldn't have met the end she did in her previous life.

Lin Xia smiled faintly. "Sister Xin, you’re too kind. If we’re talking about being composed and humble, you’re second to none. I can’t accept such praise—isn't that like showing off in front of a master?"

She pointed across the river. "When I was little, I was quite the tomboy. I’d often go across the river with friends to have picnics, or run wild through the hills with the local boys. My mom nagged me every day. Thinking back, those were the most beautiful days of my childhood."

"Wow, your childhood sounds amazing," Sun Xiaoxiao said enviously. "Mine was just my mom forcing me to learn this and that. If she saw a girl learning folk dance, she’d force me to do ballet. If she saw another girl learning the guzheng, she’d force me to take piano. After all these years, I didn't master a thing. Now that I think about it, my childhood was just miserable."

Sun Xiaoxiao leaned against the old doorframe, looking up at the sky with a melancholy expression. "Ah! My childhood is gone. Must my youth follow suit?" She then theatrically raised her hand and clutched her heart.

"Ah! Must youth be foolish?" Zhao Qian chimed in.

"And love, must it be sorrowful?" Lin Xia added.

They played around for a while, but there wasn't much to see in the old house. Lin Xia said, "Let's go. It’s fine to leave the car in the hall. Let’s go visit my grandmother, then I’ll take you to see the primary and middle schools before we drive around to enjoy the scenery."

"Sure." As the host, Lin Xia’s decision was accepted by all.

Locking the car in the hall and securing the front door, the group headed toward the street. Xishui Town was small, with only one main street. In the city, "going to the street" meant shopping for clothes or jewelry, but here, the street was defined by the vegetable market.

Neighbors were close, and the townspeople loved to gather and gossip. When such an impressive car had stopped in front of Lin Xia’s house, everyone had gathered to discuss the family. When the group emerged, the onlookers' eyes lit up.

Good heavens, everyone in the group was dressed so well, and they were all handsome and beautiful. Even that little girl from the Lin family had grown into such a beauty—perhaps the water in the city really was better for one's looks? How had the tomboyish Lin Xia changed so much in just a year?

"Oh, isn't this Lin Xia? You're back!" Liu Chunhua, who ran the small shop, greeted them, her eyes scanning the group like an X-ray. When she saw their clothes, a look of envy flashed across her face. Tsk, such young kids wearing things like that, and driving such a fancy car—that was a BMW! She had lived over forty years and had never even touched such a car.

Seeing her expression, Lin Xia felt a secret thrill. The ancients were right: "To return home wealthy without showing it is like wearing fine silk in the dark." With Chen Zimo driving a BMW, it was no wonder they were filled with envy. After all, the name BMW was more famous than any other luxury car; it didn't matter if you drove a Lamborghini or a Porsche—the locals only recognized the BMW.