For a moment, the entire living room fell silent. Chen Meilan stood just inside the doorway, her brows knitted together in confusion. The strange expressions on everyone's faces made her heart skip a beat.
Instinctively, she took half a step back. Had she failed to wash away all that foul black filth? That might be, she thought. Afterall the outhouse was dark with no windows. Her fingers unconsciously touched her sleeves.
The old blue jacket she had changed into was clean and neatly buttoned. Her hair, usually rough and hastily tied, had been thoroughly washed and combed back. Even so, the way everyone stared at her made her increasingly uneasy.
"What's wrong?" she still asked again softly. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"
No one answered immediately.
It was little Li Weiguo who finally broke the silence. The boy's eyes were round as copper coins as he pointed at her and blurted out in his childish voice, "Auntie... are you the immortal maiden from the Moon Palace?" His words were clumsy, but everyone understood what he meant.
Beside him, Li Weimin nodded vigorously, "Yes! You're Diaochan!" The little fellow's face was filled with absolute certainty.
Chen Meilan froze. Then her cheeks instantly turned crimson, "Aiyo, you two little rascals. How can you tease your aunt like this? Later I'll tell your mother exactly what nonsense you're saying."
Diaochan? One of the Four Great Beauties of ancient times? How could she possibly compare?
For a fleeting moment, however, another thought surfaced. Her gaze drifted unconsciously toward Li Guoqiang. Could it be... Did he secretly tell the children to say such things because of her privious outburst?
The thought alone made her ears burn. Immediately afterward, embarrassment overwhelmed her.
At that moment, Widow He finally snapped out of her daze. She shot to her feet so abruptly that the stool beneath her nearly toppled over, "Meilan! Are you really Chen Meilan?"
Everyone jumped, even Chen Meilan herself was startled, "Aunt He... what kind of question is that?"
Widow He stared at her from head to toe. The more she looked, the more unbelievable it became.
Grand Aunt Li also walked slowly towards Chen Meilan. Her old eyes widened, "Heavens above... Meilan... what happened to you? You look as delicate and..."
The old woman struggled to find the right words. Her late husband had once been a scholar, but she herself had never learned many characters. For the first time in years, she found her vocabulary completely inadequate.
Li Jianguo could not stop staring. His mouth opened and closed several times, "Mother..." His voice was trembling, "How did you..." He could not even finish his sentence.
Li Jianmin, however, was far more direct, "Mother! Did you secretly drink some Jade Dew from a celestial immortal?"
Yesterday she had still looked like his ordinary mother. Today she seemed like an entirely different person. The contrast was so absurd that his brain refused to accept it.
"Tell me honestly, did you meet some hidden Daoist master in the mountains?"
Widow He's breathing became heavier. Suddenly she rushed forward and grabbed Chen Meilan's hands. The poor woman looked as though she had discovered a priceless treasure, "Meilan, if you really found some immortal or Daoist master, you must tell me! My daughter is still young!"
"If she can become half as pretty as you overnight, I will burn incense for that immortal every day, I'll even sweep his temple courtyard!"
The room instantly erupted into gasps, "Aunt He!" Chen Meilan's face immediately tensed, "What nonsense are you talking about? What temple and what Daoist?"
"Nonsense?" Widow He looked completely unconvinced. She turned to everyone else, "Tell me honestly, am I talking nonsense?"
"No!" Li Jianmin was the first to respond. The young man's eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets, "Mother looks completely different!"
Grand Aunt Li nodded repeatedly, "Exactly." The old woman leaned forward, squinting carefully at Chen Meilan, "But I'm certain she's still Meilan."
The more she looked, the more astonished she became, "Heavens above..." Her voice trembled, "When Meilan first married into the village, she was known as one of the prettiest girls in several communes. Even then..." She paused before shaking her head. "Even then she wasn't like this."
Just then hurried footsteps sounded from the kitchen. Li Shuying finally emerged after hearing the commotion. At first she looked mildly puzzled. Then her eyes landed on Chen Meilan and everything froze. For several long seconds she simply stood there motionless. Even her breathing seemed to stop.
"Shuying?" Chen Meilan frowned, "What are you standing there for?"
Li Shuying did not answer. Her eyes remained fixed on her mother. Disbelief, shock, confusion. Countless feelings surged through her heart simultaneously. Slowly, almost mechanically, she walked forward, until she stood directly before Chen Meilan. She looked carefully from head to toe, her gaze lingered on every feature and detail. And the more she looked, the more stunned she became.
"Mother..." Her voice trembled, "What's... what's going on?"
Chen Meilan was already becoming irritated by everyone's reactions, "What do you mean what's going on?" She looked around helplessly, "Can someone tell me what all of you are talking about? Why is everyone acting like this? What's wrong with me?"
Her gaze finally landed on Li Guoqiang, and seeing him staring at her no differently from the others only made her more embarrassed. She immediately said, "Guoqiang, did you tell everyone to act like this?" Her cheeks reddened, "Is this because of what happened earlier? There really isn't any need, I'm already fine. I was only being unreasonable. I'll handle things properly from now on. So there's no need for everyone to cooperate and comfort me like this."
Li Guoqiang looked at her, then looked again. His lips parted slightly, "I..." For the first time in many years, the steady squad leader who could remain calm under gunfire found himself unable to form a complete sentence.
Because even now he could hardly believe what he was seeing.
That... Was his wife? His Chen Meilan?
How could she suddenly... His throat moved. He remembered the young girl he had met years ago. The girl whose smile had made his heart beat faster. The girl he had stubbornly insisted on marrying despite every difficulty. For years he thought that girl had long disappeared beneath poverty and exhaustion.
But now... It felt as though time itself had reversed, as though the heavens had returned that young girl back to him.
Seeing everyone continue staring at her, Chen Meilan sighed helplessly. She truly could not understand what was happening.
Meanwhile Li Shuying's fingers trembled slightly. She understood, more than anyone else present. She understood exactly what everyone was seeing.
In her previous life she had witnessed countless beautiful women on television, in magazines, and across the internet. Women whose appearances had been perfected by cosmetics, lighting, and cameras.
Yet at this moment... None of them came close.
Standing before her was Chen Meilan, but also not Chen Meilan.
The yellow complexion caused by years of malnutrition had completely vanished. The sunburn and roughness left behind by endless fieldwork had disappeared. The dark shadows beneath her eyes were gone. Even the small cracks left by harsh northern winters had vanished without a trace.
Her skin now appeared astonishingly smooth and luminous, delicate, healthy radiance of flawless jade. Her oval face seemed perfectly proportioned. Her eyebrows were naturally graceful, like distant mountain peaks painted with a fine brush.
Her eyes were bright and clear, carrying a softness capable of melting a person's heart. Long lashes framed those eyes, making them appear even more gentle and expressive. Her nose was straight and elegant. Her lips naturally rosy and full, requiring no color whatsoever.
Most breathtaking of all was the overall harmony of her features. There was not a single flaw. Everything seemed perfectly balanced, soft yet refined. The beauty was neither aggressive nor dazzling. Instead, it quietly entered one's heart before one even realized it.
The more one looked, the harder it became to look away.
Even her bearing had changed. Years of hardship had once forced her shoulders to curve slightly. Now she stood straight and graceful. The gentleness born from motherhood remained, but beneath it was an elegance that no one had noticed before.
Or perhaps... It had always been there. Buried beneath years of suffering.
Under everyone's gazes, Li Guoqiang suddenly took a step towards Chen Meilan. His steady gaze remained fixed on her. Step by step, he walked forward until he stood directly before her.
Chen Meilan instinctively looked at him in confusion, "Guoqiang..."
Li Guoqiang looked at her quietly for a moment. Then, in a low voice, he said, "You look beautiful. Just like those old poet says, beauty so extraordinary, that even clouds and flowers tries to imitate you."
The simple words struck harder than a thunderclap. Chen Meilan froze. For a moment, she thought she had heard incorrectly, "What?"
Li Guoqiang's lips curved slightly, "I said, you were doubtful about yourself for no reason."
Chen Meilan's eyes widened and her face instantly flushed crimson, "Nonsense!" Almost instinctively, she raised a hand to cover her face. But the moment her fingertips brushed against her cheek, she froze.
A trace of confusion flashed across her eyes. The familiar roughness was gone. There was no oily texture, no dry patches, no coarse skin. Instead, her skin felt unexpectedly smooth, light and soft.
Her brows knitted together. Slowly, she lowered her gaze and looked at her hand. The breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she simply stared.
This hand... Was it really hers?
The back of her hand appeared noticeably fairer than before, no longer covered by the dull yellow tint she had grown accustomed to seeing every day. The countless tiny cracks left by harsh winters and endless washing had almost completely disappeared. Even the thick calluses along her fingers had softened completely, making her hands look far more delicate than they had only yesterday.
She turned her hand over several times, her eyes widening further with every glance.
Without waiting for anyone to respond, she turned and hurried toward the bedroom. A moment later, she grabbed Liu Lingmei's mirror on the Kang and the moment her eyes landed on her reflection, she froze. The wooden mirror nearly slipped from her hands.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips, "What?..." Her fingers trembled. The woman reflected in the mirror looked familiar, yet strangely unfamiliar.
She raised her hand, the reflection raised its hand. She touched her cheek, the reflection did the same. Her eyes widened further, "This..." Her voice trembled. "This is impossible..."
By then Li Guoqiang had already entered the room. Seeing her standing motionless before the mirror, he quietly closed the door behind him.
Chen Meilan did not even notice. She remained staring at the reflection. Then she suddenly lowered the mirror, then raised it again.
As though afraid her eyes were deceiving her, "Guoqiang... Am I dreaming?"
Li Guoqiang couldn't help smiling, "No."
"But..." Chen Meilan stared at the mirror again. Her breathing became uneven, "This isn't me."
"It is."
"No, it isn't."
"It is."
"No." She shook her head repeatedly, "This can't be me." She looked at him anxiously, "Tell me honestly, did I faint earlier? Am I still sleeping?"
Li Guoqiang chuckled helplessly, "You are awake."
"But..." Chen Meilan looked back into the mirror. Her fingers touched her face again and again. The smooth skin, bright eyes,
Everything felt unreal, "I look like... My younger self, but How? Why? " Her voice slowly weakened.
The words escaped before she could stop them. A complicated emotion appeared in her eyes.
Li Guoqiang's heart tightened. He stepped forward and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "Then perhaps," he said softly, "the heavens finally remembered to return what they owed you."
Chen Meilan's eyes instantly reddened. She looked away and shook her head, "No, there is no such thing." Yet even as she spoke, her gaze kept returning to the mirror, again and again, unable to stop.
Outside the bedroom, the atmosphere was equally strange. Widow He finally recovered from her shock, "I'm telling you all, this must be some immortal's blessing." Her voice lowered mysteriously, "Perhaps Meilan encountered some hidden immortal in the mountains. Or maybe one of her ancestors appeared in a dream and..."
"Enough." Grand Aunt Li immediately glared at her. The old woman's expression became stern, "Watch your mouth."
Widow He blinked.
Grand Aunt Li lowered her voice, "Even walls have ears. Do you want someone to hear such nonsense and report it?"
The moment those words were spoken, Widow He's face changed. Only then did she realize what she had said. She hurriedly slapped her own mouth lightly, "Look at me, I was just speaking carelessly."
Grand Aunt Li snorted, "Then think before speaking."
Meanwhile, Li Shuying remained standing where she was, her brows drawn tightly together. Unlike everyone else in the room, she was thinking about causes, reasons and explanations.
As someone who had already experienced something impossible as her own rebirth, she understood better than anyone that extraordinary events rarely occurred without a source.
Something had caused this. But what?
In truth, she was happy for her mother. After all, what woman did not cherish beauty? For years, she had watched Chen Meilan toil beneath the scorching sun and the biting northern winds. Endless labor, malnutrition, and hardship had gradually stolen away the beauty of her youth, replacing it with exhaustion, and premature aging.
Yet now, all of that seemed to have vanished overnight. If her mother had truly regained what life had taken from her, then Li Shuying could only feel joy.
But the question remained, what exactly had caused this transformation? Only by understanding the source could she determine whether it was harmless or whether it carried hidden consequences.
Her mind rapidly replayed everything that had happened since yesterday. Yet nothing significant came to her mind. Her gaze unconsciously swept across the room.
Then suddenly it froze near the kang, on an old enamel water canteen decorated with faded floral patterns. The moment her eyes landed on it, her pupils contracted.
The water canteen. Yesterday, she had repeatedly felt as though she was forgetting something important. Several times she had tried to recall it, but now she remembered.
After returning from the system space, Li Jianmin had interrupted her, and in the commotion she had completely forgotten about the canteen she had left behind.
Without hesitation, she walked over and picked it up. The moment it settled into her hands, she frowned. It felt light.
Quickly, she unscrewed the lid and peered inside and it was empty, not a single drop of water remained.
Suddenly Li Shuying's breathing slowed and her mind immediately began connecting the scattered clues.
Could it be... Her grip tightened around the canteen. Did Mother drink it? And was her transformation related to the water?
The thought struck her like a bolt of lightning and her eyes widened. She lowered her head and carefully examined the canteen.
Yesterday she had only paid attention to the floral design and never bothered studying the text.
Li Shuying immediately felt a headache coming on. In both her previous life and this one, classical Chinese had never been her strength. She could recognize a few simple characters, but not enough to confidently understand the inscription.
After a brief hesitation, she turned toward her second brother. Li Jianguo was sitting nearby, equally lost in thought.
"Second Brother."
Her sudden voice pulled him back to reality, "Hm?"
Li Shuying held out the canteen, "Can you help me read what's written here?"
Li Jianguo looked at the object in confusion, "What is this?" He took the canteen and examined it carefully, "Didn't we already bring a water canteen back from Baicheng? Why are you using this old thing?" He turned it over in his hands, "And where did you even get it? I've never seen it before."
Li Shuying's heart skipped a beat, but her expression remained calm, "I found it in the county. I liked the floral pattern, so I bought it."
She quickly pointed toward the inscription, "What does that say?"
Li Jianguo nodded absentmindedly. Without suspecting anything, he lowered his head and carefully studied the ancient characters, "Spirit Spring Water."
The moment those words entered her ears, Li Shuying felt her heart pound violently against her chest. Her fingers tightened around the edge of her sleeve.
Spirit Spring Water?
The four words echoed repeatedly inside her mind.
Of course, she was not unfamiliar with the term. After her release from prison in her previous life, she had spent countless lonely nights reading Wuxia novels and watching television dramas to pass the time. In those stories, Spirit Spring Water was always portrayed as a heaven-defying treasure.
Prolonging life, restoring beauty, strengthening the body and in the more exaggerated tales, it was even said to possess the ability to bring the dead back to life.
At the time, she had regarded such stories as mere fiction. Yet now...
Her gaze unconsciously drifted toward the water canteen. A strange feeling rose within her chest. Could it be that the water given by the Farm System possessed similar effects?
Yesterday, when the system had rewarded her with the canteen, she had been somewhat puzzled after seeing only water.
Now she finally understood, it had never been ordinary water.
A faint smile appeared on Li Shuying's lips. She did not feel the slightest regret that Chen Meilan had drunk it.
On the contrary, even if she had known beforehand what it was, she would still have given it to her mother without hesitation.
No one deserved it more. She had sacrificed everything for the sake of her husband and children. The only thing she regretted was that the entire canteen had been consumed.
Otherwise, she would have saved some for her father as well. After all, although Li Guoqiang appeared strong and capable, but who knew how much suffering his body had endured through years of military service.
At that moment, Li Jianguo's voice pulled her from her thoughts, "What nonsense." He shook his head and handed the canteen back to her.
The words "Spirit Spring Water" sounded no different from some old storyteller's fantasy. To a young man who had grown up during the New China era, such things were difficult to take seriously.
"Little Shuying," he said, "stop studying that old thing." He glanced toward the bedroom before lowering his voice, "Father just returned after traveling all night. He must be starving by now." After a brief pause, he added, "Do you want me to help you prepare lunch?"
Li Shuying immediately shook her head, "No need, Second Brother. I can manage."
Li Jianguo nodded, "Alright."
Li Shuying turned and walked back toward the kitchen. Yet before stepping through the doorway, she unconsciously glanced once more toward her parents' room. The wooden door remained firmly shut.
Her expression became serious.
Until now, she had thought the system was merely a miraculous tool capable of producing food and supplies.
But after today's incident, she suddenly realized something. Perhaps she had greatly underestimated it.
Just how powerful was it? And what other secrets remained hidden within it?
For the first time since obtaining the Farm System, Li Shuying felt a genuine sense of awe.