She wanted children, but in the face of an uncertain future, she couldn't be fearless.
Unable to provide them with a stable future, it was better not to bring them into the world.
Therefore, whether it was the system or the space, it was just a diversion that enriched her life.
To her, it was good to have these things, but she wouldn't be disappointed without them.
But now things were different.
A bright light flashed in Lin Xiaoguai's eyes.
She wasn't ambitious, but she didn't want to rely on others either. Shen Chi had reached his stature in her previous life, and she did not aspire to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. It wasn't self-deprecation but rather her nature; she wanted to devote her time to her hard-won treasures, not waste much energy on a career that tired her and she didn't enjoy.
What she wanted was merely independence, financially and emotionally.
As such, the space and the system were her best assets.
However...
Lin Xiaoguai gaped at the scene before her, these assets... perhaps exceeded her expectations.
In fact, compared to the original simple but functional few acres and the Spiritual Spring Eye, the extra scenery seemed somewhat abrupt.
Such pavilions, the reflection of lakes, surrounded by all kinds of stunning mountains, looked like a paradise from a fairy tale, incredibly beautiful. The endless fields, surrounded by a fruit orchard laden with fruit, also possessed a rustic, natural charm.
It was hard not to think of the personal caves left behind by great cultivation masters in the novels.
Could her luck really be that good?
Lin Xiaoguai doubted her luck; being genuinely old-school and having a cool protagonist aura didn't mean she wasn't realistic. Words like extraordinary and fanciful would never apply to her.
Reality proved that her luck wasn't contrary to natural order.
"[Report, host, the additional space is the space originally contained within the Jade Pendant, attracted due to its vast energy. I, 001, was attracted to it while in hibernation. At first, I thought the energy was contained within the jade itself, but now it seems it belongs to the space.]" The familiar electronic voice sounded in her head.
001 was the intelligent entity of the Life Profession System, and note, it's intelligent, not a brain! Lin Xiaoguai wasn't being cold, refusing to give it a proper name; after observing for a long time, she found that although 001's thinking and expressive abilities were no different from an average person, and its database even gave it knowledge ordinary people lacked, it didn't possess any human emotions.
She wasn't without hope that through communication and encouragement 001 could gradually gain human emotions, but many attempts yielded no results, and gradually, she gave up.
"[Can you check the newly emerged space?]" Lin Xiaoguai knew that although 001 was inadequate in other aspects, it excelled in scanning and detection.
"[Preliminary detection shows that the energy contained in the new space is very high, even exceeding the original space. Detailed detection results will be available tomorrow.]"
"[When you mention high energy content, to what extent?]" She once asked 001 since the reason why plants in the original space grew a hundred times faster than the outside world was due to an energy cycle not present outside.
"[Approximately two to three times that of the original space.]" After a pause, 001 added, "[Since both are in the same space, it won't take long for the original space to assimilate.]"
Lin Xiaoguai slightly furrowed her brow, "Are there no negative effects?" She was always a meticulous person.
"[...Currently unknown.]" 001's voice remained flat, "[The energy in the new space is different from the original, so the possibility of unforeseen changes can't be ruled out.]"
Lin Xiaoguai's frown deepened. Before she could speak, 001 continued, "[However, the possibility of unforeseen changes is high, but the likelihood of negative effects is very low. Even if there are any, they will be minor and negligible.]"
Reassured by these words, Lin Xiaoguai actually wanted to explore the new space herself, but there wasn't enough time. Thinking this, she hurriedly scooped a handful of water from the Spiritual Spring Eye to drink before exiting the space.
—Unlike what the novels say, although spiritual spring water can Wash Marrow and Cut Tendons, the impurities expelled from the body are not visible to the naked eye. If not for the noticeable effects and hints from 001, Lin Xiaoguai would probably have needed one or two years to truly believe in the efficacy of the spiritual spring water.
Lin Xiaoguai spent less than half an hour in the space, thinking Shen Xiu was probably about to return, she walked into the kitchen.
As it was summer and there was no refrigerator, although Shen Chi and the two others had tried to arrange everything before leaving, they hadn't dared to buy too many vegetables.
Inspecting the kitchen, Lin Xiaoguai found a bunch of long beans and several loofahs in the cupboard. There was a carp in a wooden tub on the floor. After a moment's thought, she ran to the backyard well, lifted the lid, and indeed, there was a bucket hanging inside.
Fortunately, she remembered that back when she was young, if the meat wasn't cooked immediately, it would hang in the well on hot days, where it was the coolest and the meat could last longer.
Carefully pulling up the bucket, there was indeed a piece of ham inside.
Taking the meat back to the kitchen, Lin Xiaoguai checked the existing ingredients and quickly planned the evening menu. Given the limited conditions, she could only stir-fry the long beans. For the loofah, she had seen pig lard in the cupboard, ideal for a soup; the carp could be steamed with some scallions. As for the pork, she decided to make Mei Cai Kou Rou. There was too much food for her and Shen Xiu to finish—the Mei Cai Kou Rou would not spoil and reheating it over the rice cooker would make it even more flavorful than freshly cooked.