A winter rain ushers in the biting cold.
The countryside, freshly washed by rain, appears tranquil as an ox cart trudges slowly along the muddy path.
"We're almost at the village entrance. My family is waiting there. Sir, we'll get off just ahead," said a frail-looking man, clasping his hands in gratitude to the driver.
"Got it," replied the driver, snapping the reins lightly to urge the ox forward.
"Mom, are we really going to live in the village from now on?" asked nine-year-old Jason Emerson, his curious eyes taking in the passing scenery.
"Yes. When we get home, you and your sisters must listen to your grandmother and aunts and uncles. Make sure you get along with your cousins," Lily's mother, Mary Emerson, exchanged a bitter glance with her husband before speaking gently to her children.
"I understand, Mom. As the eldest, I'll set an example for my sisters," Jason replied earnestly.
"Will Grandma and the others treat us well? Or will they starve me and my sister just because we're girls?" Lily, the middle child, suddenly asked, her tone quiet but pointed.
"Well…" Mary hesitated, caught off guard by her daughter's directness.
"Mom?" Lily called again, her clear voice cutting through the silence.
"They won't. As long as you're obedient, Grandma and the rest will come to like you," Mary said, though her uncertain tone betrayed her true thoughts. She couldn't ignore how her niece, Helen, had been treated by the family. Now that they were returning to the village, she couldn't help but worry about her daughters' futures.
"Don't fret, my dear. I'll make sure everything will be fine," reassured George Emerson, the children's father, gently patting his wife's hand.
The family fell silent after that. Only Lily, six years old, kept her head lowered, her thoughts racing.
No one could imagine how dazed she felt.
Three days ago, she had been living as a 24-year-old actress in the modern world. During a wire stunt gone wrong, she had plummeted from a high platform. Instead of pain, she awoke in the body of a six-year-old girl named Lily Emerson.
Before she could grasp the situation, her family's dire circumstances had forced them to leave town and return to their rural village.
Although she'd had three days to process her situation, she still struggled to accept the reality of transmigration.
So be it. In her previous life, she was nothing more than a tool for her parents and her talent agency to exploit. Now, despite being in a poor family, at least this one seemed to genuinely care for her.
After a bumpy half-hour ride on the ox cart along uneven rural roads, Lily felt as though her small body had been shaken apart. Fortunately, they finally reached the village entrance.
Lifting her head, she saw three figures waiting. Two men, appearing to be in their thirties, flanked an elderly woman who looked to be in her sixties.
"George, my son! I've missed you so much!" cried the old woman, Eleanor Emerson, as she rushed to embrace George, tears brimming in her eyes.
It had been half a year since she had last seen her second son. Life in the village rarely brought anyone to the town unless absolutely necessary. The last time George visited had been for his father's memorial, and he'd only stayed two days.
"Mom," George said, his voice warm.
Behind him, Mary offered a soft, "Mother."
"Oh, Jason has grown taller again! And these must be Lily and little Eliza?" Eleanor's gaze softened as it fell on the children.
Lily, who had left the village as a newborn, had rarely visited over the years. Her younger sister, Eliza, barely two, had never been to the village at all. To Eleanor, both girls were practically strangers.
"Yes, Mom. Come, Lily, Eliza, this is your grandmother. And those are your uncle Robert and Uncle Thomas," Mary said, nudging Lily forward.
"Hello, Grandma. Hello, Uncle Robert, Uncle Thomas," Lily and her siblings greeted politely.
"Good, good! Robert, Thomas, help your brother carry their things home. The journey must have been tiring for these poor kids," Eleanor called out.
Their group, carrying luggage, made their way back to the family home.
As they neared the house, the neighbor, Mrs. Sutton, stepped out and was startled by the bustling crowd.
"George? Is that you? You've returned?" Mrs. Sutton squinted, recognizing George and noting the unfamiliar faces with him.
"Yes, Aunt Sutton. Kids, greet Mrs. Sutton," George prompted.
"Hello, Mrs. Sutton," the children chorused.
"What polite children! So, George, are you staying this time?"
"That's right. He'll be here to take care of me from now on," Eleanor interjected cheerfully before George could answer.
"I see. Well, it's no wonder your daughters-in-law were up early preparing this morning. Anyway, it's good to have you back. Eleanor's been missing her grandson for ages. Now she can finally enjoy her blessings," Mrs. Sutton remarked, her expression curious but kind.
Eleanor's face lit up at the compliment, and she quickly ushered everyone inside, eager to feed her grandchildren.
As they stepped into the courtyard, Lily couldn't help but glance around. The yard, scattered with drying wild vegetables and chili peppers, was cluttered and dilapidated.
Disappointment flickered across her face. After growing up surrounded by modern skyscrapers, she had imagined the charm of a quaint countryside home. Instead, she found a place barely better than a slum.
Even the mud-plastered walls of the yard were cracked.
Still, Lily was no stranger to hardship. As an actress, she had endured filming in the freezing snow wearing nothing but a thin costume and braving sweltering heat until she fainted. A rougher life didn't scare her—especially since she was no longer her parents' and agency's moneymaking tool. That alone was enough to satisfy her.
Just then, two women emerged from the kitchen. One, slightly plump, cooed at little Eliza, pinching her chubby cheeks.
"Oh, this must be Eliza! She's already two? I haven't seen her since she was born. What an adorable little girl!"
George, the second son of the Emerson family, had three children. Jason, nine, was the eldest, followed by six-year-old Lily and little Eliza, who had just turned two.
Thanks to George's scholarly achievements as a teen, the family had moved to town. Though life was still modest, with Mary's earnings as an embroiderer and George's income from copying books, they had managed to get by.
But now, they were back, and the journey ahead was uncertain.