Xiao Bai has come to the modern era!

The setting for this storyline is as follows: Chanchan has already lived through her entire life in the old society and returned to the modern era, becoming an ordinary university student. She vaguely has memories of that lifetime, but her mindset is still that of a 20-year-old, not an old woman.

Xiao Bai, on the other hand, had a long dream one day when he was 24, arriving in modern Guangzhou. He has not yet experienced the various upheavals of the late Qing and Republican periods, and his understanding of the world remains fixed in 1866 (the year when he and Chanchan made huge profits from cotton futures and Yixing reopened).

Of course, everything is purely fantasy. Chanchan may not necessarily be able to return to the modern era. Xiao Bai will also have no memory of these strange encounters… After waking from the dream, he will continue striving in the Qing Dynasty, and it won’t affect the main plot. Everyone should consider this as two independent parallel worlds.

(Chanchan’s appearance is set to be the same in both ancient and modern times. It can be understood this way: after she traveled to the Qing Dynasty, due to malnutrition and serious illness, her appearance differed considerably from her high school self. But as she recovered her health and grew and developed, with the changes that come with a girl’s maturation, she gradually came to resemble her modern appearance more and more. In Xiao Bai’s eyes, she hasn’t changed much, and he can recognize her immediately.)

“No one wears this anymore?”

Su Minguan looked down at his slate-azure Western-cloth long robe, asking with some uncertainty.

“Mm… except for acting. Indeed, very few people wear it.”

Lin Yuchan patiently replied, running to the bedside charging station to unplug her phone and showing him several casual campus photos.

He raised his eyes, his gaze lingering for a moment near her shoulders and collarbones, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his eyes.

“Do all the girls on the street dress like this?”

“Not entirely.” Lin Yuchan generously displayed her “Special Clearance French High-End First Love Style Spaghetti Strap Dress for Women,” saying seriously, “When it’s cold, we still put on an outer garment. But now with global warming, Guangzhou winters aren’t that cold anyway.”

He digested this truth for a long while, then suddenly noticed her feet. Ten clean, white toes, wearing beige-white single-strap casual sandals.

He saw at a glance: “Not handmade. Mass-produced at a shoe factory?”

Lin Yuchan nodded, stunned for a moment before understanding the intent behind his question.

Since they were mass-produced large-size women’s shoes, it meant that women all over the streets no longer bound their feet.

Su Minguan sighed softly, raising his head to study her for a long time, his gaze clear but bewildered.

“A’Mei… I want to be alone for a while.”

Hearing this familiar address again after a century, Lin Yuchan’s eyes suddenly moistened. She nodded and closed the bedroom door for him.

She didn’t know what was happening either. A car accident during the summer vacation of her senior year of high school had put her in the ICU for two weeks; when she woke up, she had gained some heavy yet wonderful memories, as if while her soul had flown beyond the heavens, she had lived an entire lifetime.

Surviving, making money, starting businesses, matters of life and death, gradually gaining a foothold, straightening her spine, and living as a person with dignity. And it seemed she had also had a particularly outstanding lover…

After waking up, she received her acceptance letter. Her body had miraculously suffered no major damage, and she reported to the university campus on time.

Having experienced a lifetime of struggle in the business world, university courses were child’s play for her. A professor recommended her to participate in the “National University Student Simulated Entrepreneur Innovation Competition” along with several senior students. First prize came with 150,000 yuan; she received 30,000 of it.

Combined with scholarships, grants, and savings from previous part-time work, her bank account held a total of 47,000 yuan—this was all her current wealth.

Because she was still too young, well-known companies had reserved internship positions for her, but she couldn’t start working for another two years. This summer vacation, she had originally planned to reward herself with a nationwide trip, to see Shanghai, Tianjin, Ningbo, Wuhan, Hong Kong… all those places where she had once struggled and strived in her past life.

She also wanted to visit Europe and America, but they were too far and expensive, and with the pandemic raging, she could only consider it later.

Lin Yuchan had happily made her itinerary, but who knew an unexpected guest would descend from heaven? Before she had even started booking tickets, she picked up a boyfriend on the roadside.

All those vague memories awakened, scene after scene like movie clips, flooding into her heart like a tide. Real and vivid, as if within reach.

As soon as she brought him to her dormitory, she couldn’t control her emotions and collapsed on the bed, crying.

Instead, it was Su Minguan who carefully held her, calmly comforting: “It’s just a dream. Your businesses are all still in Shanghai, the money isn’t lost, the people haven’t scattered, tomorrow you still need to go sign a contract with Baoyuanxiang. A’Mei?”

This dream lasted 24 hours. Lin Yuchan gradually recovered her composure. It was Su Minguan who slowly realized that he had arrived in a world that seemingly didn’t belong to him.

And it seemed he wouldn’t be returning anytime soon.

Mysteriously, an ID card had appeared in the inner pocket of his long robe, with a number starting with 440, and both name and photo matched correctly, with birth year 1998. Lin Yuchan tried checking online with relevant agencies—everything was real, genuinely materialized out of thin air, legal, a citizen of the People’s Republic.

“Unmarried, unemployed…” she muttered, “Education level: Primary school, hahahaha… Political affiliation: Democratic party, tsk tsk…”

He even had an Alipay account with a few cents in the balance.

“…How is there even a scheduled vaccination appointment, when I haven’t even gotten one…”

This world not only had bugs but also automatically patched them, patching them in ways that were both laughable and tearful.

Since they were here, they might as well make the best of it. She taught him to operate lights and air conditioning, use the bathroom, and shower. Su Minguan only knew how to follow instructions mechanically, feeling as if his fingertips had magic, arriving in the magic-rich secret realm of Western legends.

Everything was strange. Of the ten objects placed in his hands, nine had materials and purposes he couldn’t discern. Some he dared not grip hard, only to discover later they were sturdier than swords; others he thought would be heavy were light as feathers, and his unnecessary force nearly made him stumble…

Only the several rows of books on her bookshelf were most familiar; when opened, he could understand most of the characters. But what these Chinese characters combined with English meant, even with his sharp mind that had dominated the business world, he felt his intelligence challenged.

(Su Minguan was holding Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time”)

This world didn’t belong to him.

He watched Lin Yuchan operate various small appliances and touchscreens like a fish in water, giggling while scrolling through her social media feed, skillfully organizing textbooks he couldn’t even begin to understand.

“A’Mei,” he suddenly said, “please lend me a dictionary.”

Lin Yuchan froze, detecting the coolness in his tone. She put down her phone and saw a deliberately distant look in his eyes.

Just like that awkward young man from the past, who time and again wishfully tried to sever his relationship with her, yet time and again revealed the vulnerability deep in his heart through his eyes.

She smiled. Having spent a lifetime with him, how could she not guess such youthful emotions?

She tilted her head to look at him, then unexpectedly stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.

Su Minguan’s hint of coldness at the corner of his eyes froze, and he stepped back half a pace, at a loss.

The young girl’s eyes curved into crescents, looking at him with a smile.

“I still fancy you.”

He lowered his eyes, and after a long while, said softly: “It doesn’t matter, many things have changed.”

She nodded, thinking to herself: For example, I love you more than I did in 1866.

“Paper tiger, just for show,” she laughed while pointing at her phone and tablet, “these are just new things from recent years, do you think I didn’t have to learn them? Come here.”

Keeping up with this era wasn’t difficult—it just required an open heart.

In comparison, she felt that her struggle to adapt to the old society back then had been far more difficult.

Su Minguan hesitated, watching her find an old phone and set up a new fingerprint unlock. It seemed to still contain some of her old photos and message exchanges.

“It’s fine, just get familiar with how to use it first. We can talk about privacy later.” Lin Yuchan saw his concern and said casually, “Just don’t mess around with it. There’s a separate payment password for purchases, so don’t worry about mysteriously incurring debt for me.”

He nodded, finding his mentality somewhat amusing.

The world had changed, but A’Mei was still the A’Mei who trusted him wholeheartedly.

Who was he guarding against? Now penniless, no one would scheme against him.

However, catching up on over a century’s worth of knowledge was a major project even for Su Minguan’s mind. Lin Yuchan had a flash of inspiration and upgraded the short video app on the old phone, showing him live broadcasts of daily life from people all across the country.

Sure enough, his learning ability was rapid. By the end of the day, he had finally emerged from his cold defensive state. He even began clicking on videos himself, holding her while learning to imitate accents from all over the country, making her laugh continuously.

However, this app’s algorithm was a bit too intelligent. Before long, it realized that the handsome man behind the screen had a naturally noble bearing and an extraordinary bone structure, and began recommending various villa viewings and luxury car test drives…

11:30 AM. Lin Yuchan went to the kitchen.

Due to preparing for the competition, she was renting a small one-bedroom apartment off-campus with a simple kitchenette, but she rarely used it.

After Su Minguan’s sudden arrival, he was extremely cautious and unwilling to venture out rashly. She didn’t dare leave him, so they could only order takeout for meals.

Who knew that when the pork chop rice arrived, the young master spat it out after one bite, saying it had a strange taste.

Lin Yuchan thought carefully. Modern food industry was advanced, and these cheap takeout foods inevitably used synthetic seasonings, essences and such. Though they all met food safety and hygiene standards and modern people might be accustomed to them, when ancient people suddenly consumed large amounts, their tongues would indeed find it hard to adapt.

She couldn’t bear to let him suffer as soon as he arrived, so she cooked for him herself, using only salt and sugar for seasoning.

Now, fresh ingredients were running out. Searching through boxes and cabinets, only a few boxes of convenience foods remained…

At some point, the kitchen door opened. Su Minguan saw her dilemma and said apologetically, “If you can eat it, I can eat it. What is this? Let me try again.”

Lin Yuchan decisively hid several boxes of luosifen in the cupboard. If he dared try this, there might be mortal danger.

“Forget it. Let’s go out and find a place to eat. You can choose with your nose.”

He looked troubled: “My clothes…”

“Guangzhou people are inclusive and accommodating. At most, they’ll look twice; they won’t make a big fuss. Besides, we need to buy you new clothes anyway.”

Online shopping took time, and quality was hard to control. Lin Yuchan made up her mind to take him out, checking the weather and finding sunscreen.

Su Minguan: “…”

What was this white, latex-like stuff?

Never mind. A’Mei definitely wouldn’t harm him.

The synthetic fragrance made him frown slightly. Her hand reached behind his neck. He turned his head and quickly pecked her fingertip.

She lowered her eyelashes, a fleeting blush across her brows and earlobes.

This person’s nature truly hadn’t changed at all. Still the same habit from when she used to pull him to apply vanishing cream…

She suddenly ran to the wardrobe and pulled out a tender yellow floral cotton cheongsam.

Though the style and cut were different from old-style cheongsams. At least it was more appropriate than the spaghetti strap dress, matching his look. If they were going to attract attention, they might as well do it together.

High collar, short sleeves, knee-length. It was prepared for a drama performance of “Love in a Fallen City” when she was a freshman. After performing several times, a senior from the drama club felt she lacked “Republican era charm” and couldn’t portray the intoxicated socialite aura of old Shanghai’s foreign concessions, gently suggesting she read more related history.

Lin Yuchan immediately quit the club. I don’t know what the old society was like.

Su Minguan curiously watched her fuss about, thinking this outfit was neither Chinese nor Western, a bit strange, but not unattractive.

Lin Yuchan’s face flushed red, wiping sweat: “Zipper. Help me.”

After returning to the modern era, with greatly improved material living standards, everything looked delicious, and she had accidentally gained weight…

Su Minguan hesitated for a moment, placed his hand on her waist, and carefully explored.

Their breaths mingled. He curiously sniffed the cherry-scented shampoo fragrance in her hair.

Lin Yuchan: “…Zipper.”

Su Minguan: “…Pankou buttons or regular buttons?”

Only then did she realize that zippers were a post-20th-century invention. He hadn’t seen one yet…

Blushing, she taught him to find the zipper pull. He studied it with amazement for a long time, opening and closing it, making her squirm from the tickling. Finally zipped up, her waist curve was suddenly pulled taut.

His eyes darkened, his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and his tone was questioning.

“Why didn’t you wear this before?”

She was about to tease him when the face above her suddenly grew serious, and warm breath sealed her lips. He cradled the back of her head.

“A’Mei, I miss you so much.”

Lin Yuchan burned from head to toe, caught off guard by the ambush. The cheongsam was too tight to breathe, and the sunscreen slipped from her hands to the floor.

She stood on tiptoe, clumsily tangling with him. She could barely remember the taste of his kisses. The last time was in her previous life…

The old air conditioner in the living room hummed intermittently, hot and cold, making her break out in restless sweat.

“We were sleeping together just yesterday.” His voice was matter-of-fact, biting her lip corner with a trace of puzzled teasing, “How is it like we haven’t seen each other for ages?”

Lin Yuchan: “…”

Unbearable. Had he been this skilled before?

She turned and fled, turning off the air conditioner and opening the door, throwing him a coin purse to play with the zipper on it.

“Do you still want to buy new clothes or not?”

Su Minguan smiled and followed. The keys hung on the wall, her usual habit. He helped her take them down, casually putting them in the coin purse, asking offhandedly: “Are ready-made clothes very expensive nowadays?”

Lin Yuchan laughed out loud: “Custom tailoring is what’s expensive. Ready-made clothes, well, from over ten yuan to hundreds of thousands, everything’s available. I’m poor, so let’s pick something in the double digits, sorry about that.”

“Is it far?” He had no concept of modern Guangzhou geography: “Should we call a car?”

“Poor. Subway.”

Su Minguan heard yet another unfamiliar term for the thousand and first time, didn’t ask much, saving mental energy.

“Where are we going?”

Lin Yuchan pulled him, bouncing down the stairs, turning back with a smile.

“Thirteenth Hong…”

He suddenly stopped, one foot on the step, his expression changing, his eyes suddenly becoming quiet and heavy.

“Thirteenth Hong,” his voice trembled slightly, “it’s been rebuilt? Are they still the same ones as before? Why would it be reconstructed…”

Lin Yuchan stared at him intently, pulled up her phone map, and seriously finished the second half of the sentence:

“Guangzhou City Liwan District, Thirteenth Hong Clothing Wholesale Market.”