Chapter 6: The Feeling of Having a Family Is So Wonderful
Ning Xiyue looked at the little turtle perched lazily on her shoulder and asked,
“System, can the ration coupons I get from signing in be used in the real world? Will there be any problems if they circulate? And… these coupons aren’t like that brick of mine, right? You didn’t take someone else’s and just ‘convert’ them into my sign-in rewards, did you?”
“Host, I am a fully registered system with an official ID number — not some wild, bootleg system. Everything I provide is legitimate and compliant. You can use them with confidence.”
Hearing the system’s righteous and serious tone, Ning Xiyue’s last bit of worry disappeared, replaced entirely by joy.
Maybe her luck was finally changing — she had traveled to a new world and not only gained a family but was also deeply loved. Even if this was a world born from a book, she was no longer alone.
Glancing at the lazy little turtle on her shoulder made her even happier — now she had her own Turtle ATM.
With the sign-in system activated, Ning Xiyue finally had time to look around the room. It was small but well-furnished, everything neatly arranged. Her eyes fell on the mirror on the table, and she remembered — she hadn’t checked what she looked like yet.
She walked over, picked up the mirror, and carefully studied her reflection.
A pair of bright, lively apricot eyes. Delicate features. Open, confident brows and eyes. Her appearance was striking and elegant — the type that commanded attention.
And the more she looked, the more familiar that face became.
It was about 80% similar to her original face, with the remaining 20% being the difference between a photo before and after a beauty filter. Her original self was more rough-skinned — the “before.” This face was smooth and flawless — the “after.” It came with a built-in beauty filter.
Ning Xiyue was delighted with what she saw. And when she noticed the thick, lustrous hair on her head, she loved it even more.
This trip across worlds was absolutely worth it.
From now on, she could say goodbye to her “balding girl” days.
She couldn’t help but wonder if Zhang Yuan was blind. The original owner, bright and striking, wasn’t to his taste — instead, he liked weak, fragile little white flowers. The power of a female lead’s halo really was strong.
Just as Ning Xiyue was about to ask the system something else, she heard the sound of the door opening and hurried footsteps approaching. A woman rushed in and grabbed her anxiously.
“Yueyue, are you okay?”
Seeing the woman in front of her, Ning Xiyue’s eyes filled with tears. She instinctively threw herself into the woman’s arms and sobbed, “Mom, I’m fine.”
“It’s good you’re okay. My poor Yueyue…” Yun Xiulan’s eyes were red as she gently patted Ning Xiyue’s back, comforting her.
Ning Xiyue cried in her mother’s embrace for a while before shyly pulling away. Wiping her tears, she reached into her pocket, pulled out the money and Zhang Yuan’s IOU, and presented them proudly to Yun Xiulan like a treasure.
“Mom, look — I even got back 150 yuan. Zhang Yuan said he’ll bring the remaining 600 this afternoon. I wasn’t bullied.”
“Good girl.” Yun Xiulan tenderly brushed away the strands of hair stuck to the gauze on Ning Xiyue’s forehead. Seeing her daughter smiling foolishly with money in her hands, the heavy stone in her heart finally lifted, and she felt calm enough to ask about what had happened.
Ning Xiyue took the opportunity to lay the groundwork for the changes in her future behavior. She explained everything: how the original owner had hit her head, the cause and process, each person’s actions and roles, the mysterious foot that had tripped the original owner, and the aftermath of today’s debt collection — all in full detail.
The more Yun Xiulan listened, the angrier she became. She stormed into the kitchen, grabbed a kitchen knife, and charged for the door.
Ning Xiyue hadn’t expected the original owner’s mother to have such a fiery temper — she didn’t even say a word before grabbing a knife. She had only told Yun Xiulan about Ning Xiaoxiao’s actions to make her more cautious in the future, so she wouldn’t be so easily deceived by appearances.
As an orphan in her past life, Ning Xiyue had never considered the deep, instinctive love a mother has for her daughter. Hearing about someone harming her child — how could she not be furious?
Ning Xiyue hurriedly grabbed Yun Xiulan, afraid she might really hurt someone in a moment of rage. The “female lead halo” was still something to be wary of in this world — it wasn’t wise to confront it directly. It needed to be chipped away little by little.
“Mom, don’t rush. We’re not in a hurry. Let’s wait until Zhang Yuan brings the rest of the money. Six hundred yuan — we can’t let him get away with that. And as for Ning Xiaoxiao, she’s about to be sent to the countryside. With her family’s situation, without our help, she’ll suffer plenty. If we go make a scene now, Uncle’s family might even try to turn the tables and accuse us.”
“Yueyue, let go. I can’t swallow this anger today.” Yun Xiulan had calmed down somewhat, but the fury in her eyes hadn’t faded — if anything, it burned hotter. There was even a hint of disappointment in her gaze, as if she believed her daughter still harbored feelings for Zhang Yuan and that was why she didn’t want to cause trouble.
Seeing her mother’s expression, Ning Xiyue immediately understood the misunderstanding and quickly explained, “Mom, please believe me — I will never like Zhang Yuan again. After what they did to me, I see them for what they truly are. I genuinely want to get that money back. Six hundred yuan — that’s our family’s hard-earned money. We can’t just let it go.”
Seeing that her mother had calmed down even more, Ning Xiyue continued and shared her detailed plan for how she intended to take revenge and make Zhang Yuan pay.
When she finished, Yun Xiulan gently patted Ning Xiyue’s head. “My girl has finally grown up. When I came home today and heard Aunt Wang talking about what happened this morning, I was so relieved. This whole incident has made you a lot more mature.”
“But as for your cousin and Zhang Yuan, leave those matters to us adults. You just focus on recovering. Your father and I will have your back.” Yun Xiulan’s eyes hardened as she tightened her grip on the knife.
“Okay.” Ning Xiyue hugged her mother again, resting her head on her shoulder and replying hoarsely with reddened eyes. She finally understood what it felt like to have a family — and it felt wonderful.
From now on, she would be this family’s daughter — forever.
A loud gurgle suddenly broke the warm atmosphere. Embarrassed, Ning Xiyue released her mother and rubbed her stomach.
“Hungry already?” Yun Xiulan laughed and took out a net bag from the table, opening a box of pastries. “I bought your favorite mung bean cakes. Come on, eat something to fill your stomach. I’ll stew some pig trotters for you later.”
“Thank you, Mom. You have some too.” Ning Xiyue took a piece of cake and offered another to Yun Xiulan.
The two of them sat and ate their pastries together before heading into the kitchen to prepare lunch. Of course, Ning Xiyue was just the assistant — washing vegetables, passing ingredients. Yun Xiulan wouldn’t let her do anything more. The two chatted and laughed as they worked, filling the kitchen with warmth.
At noon, the original owner’s father, Ning Hai, came home from work for lunch. Seeing Ning Xiyue carrying dishes out of the kitchen looking bright and cheerful, he adjusted his glasses, his expression softening as he gently asked,
“Does your head still hurt?”
“No, Dad.” Ning Xiyue shook her head and grinned at the scholarly, refined man — he was exactly the kind of father she had dreamed of having.
Ning Hai pulled out a stool next to him and motioned for Ning Xiyue to sit. “From now on, think before you act. Don’t be so impulsive, okay? My daughter.”
“I understand, Dad,” Ning Xiyue nodded. “I won’t make you worry again.”
“Alright then, let’s eat. Our daughter really outdid herself today — earning back hundreds of yuan and venting her anger in one go.” Yun Xiulan handed Ning Xiyue a chunk of meat from the pig’s trotters. “Here, have a piece of meat to celebrate.”
“Oh? What’s this about?” Ning Hai asked with interest. “Tell me what happened.”
“Let your daughter explain,” Yun Xiulan said with a smile, holding her chopsticks.
