Chapter 03: The Mysterious Space and Younger Brother Ye Huan
"Um..." The house with mud walls couldn't block the strong light, and Ye Zhou, lying on the bed, turned impatiently. Perhaps even he didn't notice it himself, but a faint red light flickered beneath his exposed clavicle as he turned. Before long, a bone-shaped object, resembling a tattoo, faintly appeared, and the faint red light emanated from it. Unconsciously, Ye Huan, who was sound asleep, reached out and scratched the bone-shaped tattoo. The next second, something strange happened again— he, who was sleeping on the bed, disappeared into thin air.
"Uhh... where am I?"
When Ye Zhou opened his eyes, it had already been a while, and his still-fuzzy mind couldn't respond immediately. His entire body, except for the shining peach blossom eyes, was clouded over. Ye Zhou scratched his head as he sat up, his dazed gaze scanning the nearby golden, red, and black patches of land, the towering tree next to the land, the mound of the hill not far away, about a hundred to two hundred meters tall, and finally, the pond in the middle, roughly half an acre, connected to the land...
Land? Tree, hill, and pond?
Ye Zhou shuddered abruptly, his dazed eyes widening. What is happening again? Didn't he travel back to the 1990s? How did he end up here?
"Damn it, can't you stop messing around? Are you trying to drive me crazy?"
Ye Zhou grabbed his hair with one hand and pointed straight to the sky with the other, a deep-seated frustration that couldn't be expressed. Who the hell can bear waking up to a different scenario every time?
"No, something's not right here..."
After some time had passed, Ye Zhou hurriedly got up, stumbling and running towards the patches of land with different colors. In that split second, the phrase "portable space" suddenly flashed through his mind. Regardless of whether it was time travel or space, these terms had long been prevalent in the 21st century. Even he, as a grown man, had heard about them quite a bit, and besides, he would sometimes read fantasy novels or something similar on certain websites in his free time, so the so-called "portable space" was not unfamiliar to him. However, why couldn't he believe it?
"Ouch... damn, it hurts..."
To confirm that he wasn't dreaming, Ye Zhou foolishly pinched his own thigh, and the pain nearly brought tears to his eyes. But...
"Haha... it's not a dream. I really have a portable space..."
However, the pain genuinely told Ye Zhou that he wasn't dreaming. For a moment, the space of just a few acres was filled with Ye Zhou's exaggerated laughter. When he calmed down from the extreme state of madness, it was about ten minutes later.
Ye Zhou carefully examined the situation in the space. There were three patches of land, respectively golden, red, and black, about the size of half a badminton court. Next to the land stood a large tree, about the size of a millstone but less than two meters tall. Ye Zhou wasn't sure what kind of tree it was, but its leaves were silver-white, and the veins of the leaves were clearly visible to the naked eye. There were also several fist-sized red fruits scattered on it. Ye Zhou reached out and touched them—hard. He estimated they weren't ripe yet, so he didn't dare pick them and eat them randomly. After all, he had already died once and cherished his second life very much.
Not far from the three adjacent plots of land, there was a pond, about half an acre in size. The water inside was very clear. Ye Zhou cupped his hands and took a few sips. Whether it was a psychological effect or not, he felt that the cool water sliding down his throat brought relief to the pain that had persisted since he hanged himself yesterday. Ye Zhou drank a few more mouthfuls before bypassing the pond and continuing forward. The only thing left ahead was a mountain peak less than 200 meters high, covered mostly in wild grass with virtually nothing else.
"Weird, why do I feel like this place is somewhat familiar?"
In less than half an hour, Ye Zhou finished exploring the space. He crossed his arms and rubbed his chin, repeatedly scanning the things in the space with his gaze. Finally, he slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "I remember now! It's just like the QQ Farm1 I played crazily back in the day. No wonder it feels so familiar."
The difference was that in QQ Farm, the land upgraded from ordinary soil to red soil, black soil, and gold soil, whereas here, three types of soil coexisted, along with the pond and mountain peak. Only the small wooden house and dog were missing from the land.
"Speaking of which, how do I get out?"
Whether it was an enlarged version of QQ Farm or not, it was already his possession. Ye Zhou now faced another problem: he unintentionally entered while sleeping, and it seemed like he couldn't find a way out...
He remembered from the fantasy novels he had read in his previous life that protagonists with spatial abilities could freely switch in and out by silently thinking about it, right?
"Damn it, why can't I take an unconventional approach?"
With a glimmer of hope, Ye Zhou closed his eyes and tried, but unfortunately, when he opened his eyes again, he was still standing alone in the space. Ye Zhou suddenly had an urge to go berserk. He patiently tried several times, but it still didn't work. Ye Zhou couldn't help but sit on the ground, feeling a bit dejected. His right hand unconsciously slid over the exposed collarbone, and then...
"I'm out, out, I'm out?"
Ye Zhou sat dumbfounded on the bed with his legs spread open. He dared to swear to the heavens that in his current and past lives combined, he had never felt so foolish. How did he manage to get out?
"I remember, it seems..."
To figure out what happened, Ye Zhou quickly focused his mind and repeated the action he had just done. When his fingers slid over the prominent collarbone, he entered the space again. After repeating this several times, Ye Zhou finally understood that as long as his hand passed below the collarbone while simultaneously thinking about going in or out, he could freely enter and exit the space. But... why below the collarbone?
With this doubt in mind, Ye Zhou got up from the bed and prepared to find a mirror to see what was going on below his collarbone. However...
"Squeak..."
"Brother, you're awake? Come and eat roasted sweet potatoes. Mr. Pan from next door gave them to me. They're still warm!."
Ye Huan, who had been missing for a long time, pushed the door open barefoot and walked in. In his hands, he held several roasted sweet potatoes the size of baby arms, and his thin and weak little face was filled with a smile when he saw Ye Zhou wake up. Ye Zhou had to temporarily give up searching for the mirror. "Mr. Pan? The veteran who lives next door?"
Their neighbor on the left was an elderly man in his sixties or seventies, said to be a retired soldier. However, in the original host's memories, every time there was a holiday, a small car would come to the village to pick him up. Moreover, their car seemed to be getting better every year. It was rumored that he had some military connections, but nobody in the village knew for sure. After all, they were all farmers in a time when tractors were not common yet. Anyone who could drive a car was considered an extraordinary person.
"Yes, this morning I helped Mr. Pan pull out weeds, and he gave me a few roasted sweet potatoes as a gift. Brother, hurry and eat them. They're warm and delicious," Ye Huan said. While talking, he had already broken open one sweet potato and started eating. The sweet potatoes from the 90s weren't like the improved varieties of twenty years later. They had red skin and white flesh, plump and slightly sweet. It might not be the tastiest, but for Ye Huan, who had been constantly hungry, it was already a delicacy.
Watching Ye Huan enjoy the sweet potatoes with such happiness, Ye Zhou couldn't help but feel a pang of silent sorrow. His right hand unconsciously reached out and rubbed his brother's head. He was just a little over six years old. If he had been born in the 21st century or had his parents alive, how could he be satisfied with just two roasted sweet potatoes?
"I've heard of Mr. Pan. He's the one who used to be a soldier, right?" Ye Zhou asked, temporarily putting aside his curiosity about his collarbone.
His gaze scanned down Ye Huan's body, his clothes worn and tattered with patches, his small frame so thin it seemed deformed, and his bare feet covered in mud...
"Brother?" Although Ye Huan was young, he had become sensible. Sensing something unusual about his brother, he couldn't help but stop eating the sweet potato, his little face filled with confusion.
"Yes? It's nothing. By the way, little Huan, where is our mirror? I remember Dad bought one for Mom before," Ye Zhou asked casually, retracting his gaze. Regardless of the time travel or the space matter, he didn't intend to tell anyone, including his only brother. Human nature is often more fragile than people can imagine. Besides himself, he didn't trust anyone.
"It was snatched away by Auntie Xia. She took it a long time ago..." Ye Huan said decisively, losing his appetite to eat. His little face drooped, his small mouth pouting as if he might cry at any moment.
Ye Zhou frowned slightly at his words and then picked up the sweet potato Ye Huan had put down, stuffing it back into his hands. "Don't be sad, little Huan. Rest assured, no one can take away our things. One day, I will take back everything they stole from us."
Including the grains harvested from the field last year! He could give up anything else, but food was essential to fill their stomachs. He couldn't afford to lose that.
"Yes!"
As it turned out, it was easy to appease a child. In the blink of an eye, Ye Huan's smile bloomed again, and Ye Zhou affectionately ruffled his head. "Eat quickly, and after we finish, I'll take you to the town to play."
If he remembered correctly, he hadn't quit his job in town yet. He had to resign, but since the god of time travel had gifted him with a super cheat device, he shouldn't waste it. Before that, he needed to buy some seeds and experiment. The only thing he could be grateful for was that it was already the 90s, not the early 80s. Selling things wouldn't be accused of profiteering or speculation, and getting caught would only lead to criticism and education at the local police station.
"Really?"
Ye Huan's eyes lit up, clearly surprised. Considering that the previous host would often leave him alone at home when he went to work, Ye Zhou couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness. "Yes, really. Once I earn money, I'll send you to school."
"Brother, are you not going to study anymore? Everyone says you're good at studying and will definitely go to university in the future. Mom and Dad used to talk about you becoming the first university student in our village. Won't it be a pity if you don't study? How about waiting for me for two more years until I grow up a bit, and then I'll earn money to support you to continue your studies?"
Although the childish and naive words of Ye Huan couldn't withstand scrutiny, the emotions mixed within them were raw and genuine. Ye Huan's dark and bright eyes only revealed seriousness and determination. It was evident that he truly wanted to grow up and earn money to support his brother's education. Ye Zhou wasn't a sentimental person, but at this moment, his eyes felt a hint of sourness as intense tears welled up.
"Silly, by the time you grow up and earn money, your brother will be getting old."
What a silly child, but it was heartwarming in its own way.
"Is that so? But..."
"No 'buts.' Don't think too much, you're just a kid. Those are adult matters. I will work hard to earn money, and you just be a happy child under my protection. As long as you can study, even if it's a university doctorate or studying abroad, I'll support you."
Ye Huan clearly still had some dissatisfaction, but Ye Zhou didn't give him a chance to say more. Honestly, he was afraid that if he listened to more, he wouldn't be able to hold back his tears. There was nothing more touching than the sincere and innocent heart of a child.
"So, you really won't study anymore?"
The scrawny face wrinkled into a frown, and Ye Huan pouted slightly.
"Yes, I won't study anymore. I'll support your education. Be good, don't ask too many questions, finish eating, wash your face, and change into clean clothes. We'll go early and come back early."
Studying had little meaning to him. Rather than wasting time in school, he would think about how to become prosperous and wealthy and lead a good life with his brother. At present, he didn't want anything else; he just wanted to make money. He felt anxious when he had no money in his hands.
"Okay, if one day you really want to study, make sure to tell me. I'll earn money to support your education."
Reluctantly nodding, Ye Huan resumed nibbling on his roasted sweet potato. Ye Zhou's throat still felt a bit sore, and he didn't feel like eating the dry sweet potato anymore. Taking advantage of Ye Huan eating, Ye Zhou got up and went outside.
Unlike the city, even though the Ye brothers were so poor they couldn't afford a pot, their house was still quite large. In addition to three spacious and rudimentary thatched houses, there was a small kitchen on the left, and on the right were pigsties and chicken coops, although they were all abandoned. The house had a front and back yard.
This year happens to be in the 1990s, and in this era, not only in rural areas but also in the cities, people are very poor. A household with ten thousand yuan is considered wealthy, so it is impossible for the yard of Ye Zhou's family to be paved with cement. It is just an ordinary mud ground. It can be seen that both the front and back yards used to be planted with vegetables, and remnants of bamboo frames used for supporting the vines can still be seen. However, due to neglect for a long time, the house and the yard look desolate and can only be described as "bare walls."
As Ye Zhou walked around the front and back yards, he couldn't help but feel dejected. After all, this family is really poor. The only thing worth celebrating is that the place is quite spacious, which is considered good in this era. It seems that their family still has two acres of land, two acres of paddy fields. All in all, they are not completely destitute. With land, how can a farmer worry about making a living?
If he doesn't console himself in this way, Ye Zhou might think of hanging himself and going back.
Moreover, in his past life, he worked in sales, and he understands the business world better than people of this era. Making a lot of money may be difficult, but living a good life is not a problem. In the 1990s, China was poor but the economy was about to take off. As long as he used his brain a bit, he wouldn't worry about not making money.
Considering that he still has a pocket dimension, although he is not clear about its functions and what it can bring him, Ye Zhou thinks that even if the dimension can't provide him with anything, at the very least, it can be used as a portable luggage. Those scumbags will never again be able to take away a single needle or thread from him, which indirectly solves a big problem.
As for other matters, Ye Zhou is not the original owner. In his past life, he had interacted with all sorts of people in society for many years, so he is not as naive as the original owner. He doesn't find anything suspicious about the death of the original owner's parents or the incident where he was harassed by hooligans. Even if he were beaten to death, he wouldn't believe it. Let's not talk about the other things; just the incident of being harassed, even if he were handsome and delicate-looking, he is a true man. How could a few hooligans possibly harass a man? Based on his understanding of hooligans, if they didn't like him or something, at most, they would just beat him up. But to harass him, pull down his pants, and attempt to rape him? That would be too avant-garde.
However, while he understands all this, Ye Zhou is not someone who likes to stir up trouble for no reason. His mind is currently filled with thoughts of how to make money. As long as those people don't provoke him anymore, he is too lazy to clean up the mess left behind by the original owner. On the other hand, if those people dare to provoke him again, then sorry, he will have to settle both new and old grudges.
"Brother, I'm fine now. When are we going to the town?"
Ye Huan bounced over to him, and his thin arms hugged Ye Zhou intimately. Ye Zhou regained his composure and patted his head, saying, "Wait a moment, I'll bring the money and buy some vegetable seeds on the way back."
"Are we going to grow vegetables in our house too? Brother, can I help you?" Ye Huan asked excitedly. "Grandpa Pan often praises me for being good at weeding!"
Upon hearing that their house would also be growing vegetables like other families, Ye Huan couldn't help but feel even happier. At such a young age, all he knew was that if their house was like other houses, he wouldn't go hungry.
"Hehe... Alright, as long as you don't mistake the vegetable sprouts for weeds," Ye Zhou replied, unable to hold back his laughter. This little brother of his might be a burden to him now, but he could also be seen as a form of reliance, couldn't he? In his past life, he hadn't even gotten married or had children by the age of thirty, so he could just treat Ye Huan as his own son in this life.
"You meanie! Why would you say that, brother? I really am good at weeding," Ye Huan pouted and protested seriously. Ye Huan chuckled, "Alright, alright, from now on, I'll leave the weeding in our vegetable plot to you."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Determined as ever, Ye Huan puffed out his chest proudly, and Ye Zhou couldn't help but poke his head with both doting and helplessness. He shook his head and returned to the house, scanning his surroundings. Finally, he bent down and crawled under the bed. The bed in this era was still an old-fashioned wooden bed with four legs and a few bedposts. The space under the bed was quite wide, and even for his thin and weak frame, it wasn't uncomfortable to squeeze into it. There were a few mouse holes under the bed, and Ye Zhou dug out a small iron box from one of them. Inside, he found his entire fortune of fifteen yuan.
The original owner had gone through great lengths to preserve this meager sum. If it were hidden somewhere else, it would probably have been stolen long ago by those despicable relatives who often sneaked into their house to take things.
Afterward, Ye Zhou changed into slightly cleaner clothes and washed his face before taking Ye Huan out. Previously, the original owner would lock the door before leaving, but since there was nothing valuable in the house and even locking the door couldn't deter those despicable relatives who constantly bullied them, Ye Zhou couldn't be bothered to lock it anymore. He even intentionally left the double-leaf door wide open, giving off an inviting atmosphere.
As they stepped out, Ye Zhou grabbed the fifteen yuan and carried Ye Huan with him. Together, they walked towards the town.
