"No, Xiao Ming is very happy," Shen Xiao Ming quickly said, then glanced at Shen Xiao Yan and continued, "The two sisters are even happier than me."
"You little brat, hurry up and eat," Shen Xiao Yan said as she put a chopstickful of food onto Shen Xiao Ming's plate.
The group ate lunch, chatting and laughing, and then sat together for a while longer before each retreating to their rooms to rest.
Shen Xiao Yan instructed Huo Fen not to disturb them, then took Luo Luo and Zheng Wei into the east wing room. She locked the door from the inside and drew the curtains before saying to Zheng Wei, "I'm taking you somewhere."
Without waiting for Zheng Wei's reaction, she took his hand and, along with Luo Luo, entered her personal space.
Zheng Wei's vision went black. When he could see his surroundings again, he was so astonished his jaw dropped. "Where is this?"
"Foolish ancient person, this is a personal space," Luo Luo said, looking at Zheng Wei with disdain.
"You... can talk?" Zheng Wei pointed at Luo Luo in surprise.
"This cat naturally can talk, you easily surprised ancient person," Luo Luo said, showing more disdain.
Zheng Wei stared at Luo Luo for ten seconds before turning to Shen Xiao Yan. "Mi Mi, where is this? Why can this cat talk? What does he mean by 'ancient person'?"
Actually, the last question was what Zheng Wei most wanted to ask. Although he didn't understand the meaning, why did he feel like the cat was looking down on him?
Shen Xiao Yan smiled sweetly at Zheng Wei, then gestured around. "This is my personal space. Only Luo Luo and I can enter freely. No third person has ever been here before, and you are the third."
Shen Xiao Yan's voice was very soft, as if she were discussing the most ordinary of matters, but to Zheng Wei, it was incredibly shocking.
"Since you know I am not Shen Xiao Yan, I will introduce myself. My name is Shen Xiao Yan, and I have transmigrated from a post-apocalyptic era," Shen Xiao Yan said solemnly to Zheng Wei.
"Post-apocalyptic era?" Zheng Wei felt as if he were lost in a fog; he couldn't understand a word Shen Xiao Yan was saying.
"It's another world," Shen Xiao Yan explained as simply as she could what a post-apocalyptic era was.
After hearing this, Zheng Wei's face was filled with astonishment. Indeed, the world was vast and full of wonders!
Listening to Shen Xiao Yan describe her original world, Zheng Wei felt like a frog in a well. However, a man with strong self-esteem would never show it on his face.
"I truly hope there will be an opportunity to witness where Mi Mi used to live," Zheng Wei said with emotion.
"It's better not to," Shen Xiao Yan shook her head.
"Why?" Zheng Wei was puzzled. From Shen Xiao Yan's tone just now, she seemed to miss her previous world very much.
"We have children now, and I hope to give them a good life, not a world that is constantly full of danger and where survival is extremely difficult," Shen Xiao Yan said earnestly.
Zheng Wei thought about it and agreed. Although this world was not entirely peaceful, compared to the world Shen Xiao Yan had described, this one was far more suitable for survival.
"Alright, don't think about it anymore. I'll take you for a walk," Shen Xiao Yan smiled, putting the previous topic behind her. She took Zheng Wei's hand and prepared to lead him around.
"Wait, this cat..." Zheng Wei said, looking at Luo Luo again.
"What about this cat?" Luo Luo asked, hearing Zheng Wei mention him. His tone, however, sounded rather smug.
"Luo Luo was born from this personal space, so to speak, a part of it. He has a physical body and life. He saved me, brought me here, and let me meet you," Shen Xiao Yan explained, her gaze towards Luo Luo becoming even gentler. This cat, who had accompanied her for two lifetimes, who had saved her twice, was the one she was closest to.
"Thank you, Luo Luo," Zheng Wei said, looking at Luo Luo deeply, his tone solemn.
"What are you thanking this cat for?"
"Thank you for bringing Mi Mi to my side, thank you for taking care of her."
"...Hmph."
Luo Luo glanced at Zheng Wei, then at Shen Xiao Yan, and snorted softly before standing up and shaking his tail as he left. Both Shen Xiao Yan and Zheng Wei saw the happiness in his eyes and didn't expose his tsundere exterior.
Shen Xiao Yan held Zheng Wei's hand and wandered through the personal space, introducing him to its various parts, its functions, and the Chinese medicinal herbs she had planted earlier, which had now grown exceptionally luxuriantly.
Finally, they arrived at the bamboo building. Shen Xiao Yan showed Zheng Wei the storage cabinets and then took out the strange and wonderful items she had collected for him to see. Zheng Wei was very interested in Shen Xiao Yan's previous life's world, and these items also amazed him. The two of them fiddled with them for a very long time.
It wasn't until Luo Luo came to inform them that it was almost dinnertime outside that they left the personal space together.
At dinner, Shen Xiao Ming playfully pestered Zheng Wei and Sima Han for a long time before he was willing to go to bed.
After Shen Xiao Ming left, Shen Xiao Yan and the others sat together in the study of the east wing room, the four of them gathered around the kang bed, drinking tea and talking.
Shen Xiao Yan had noticed during dinner that Yue Qingxin was wearing a ring on her left hand, identical in pattern and material to the one she herself wore. The only difference was that Yue Qingxin's ring was blue. Shen Xiao Yan subtly turned her head and looked at Sima Han's finger, finding he also wore a black ring.
"What exactly is this ring?" Shen Xiao Yan asked, looking at the ring on her middle finger. She had tried earlier, but to her surprise, she couldn't take it off, which made her even more astonished.
"This was a gift from Grand Tutor Yi Zhi Xie. He said these two pairs of rings are called 'Mandarin Ducks Playing in Water Rings.' Before wearing them, one must smear the rings with the blood of the two individuals who will wear them. Once the rings glow, they are put on the hand and can never be removed. Even if forcibly removed, others cannot use them," Sima Han explained.
"What's the use of this?" Yue Qingxin asked eagerly.
"The two people wearing these rings can contact each other regardless of the distance between them. Whatever they say, the other can hear," Zheng Wei said faintly.
Radio waves? The four words immediately appeared in Shen Xiao Yan's mind, but then she shook her head. How could there be such a thing as a radio phone?
"Furthermore, the Grand Tutor said this side can store items," Zheng Wei dropped another bombshell, completely stunning Shen Xiao Yan.
"A storage ring?" Shen Xiao Yan exclaimed.
"You could say that," Zheng Wei nodded.
Shen Xiao Yan pressed her forehead. Was it possible that her transmigration wasn't for farming, but for cultivation? But in her memory, the people around her had never heard of cultivation. Even Zheng Wei had never mentioned it.
"Have you tried it? Are you just making it up?" Shen Xiao Yan asked Zheng Wei and Sima Han.
"We haven't tried it," Zheng Wei and Sima Han shook their heads simultaneously. However, Sima Han looked at the ring and said uncertainly, "Perhaps we should try? But how should we try? The evil Grand Tutor didn't say anything about it."
No one spoke. For a moment, they didn't know what to do. Shen Xiao Yan looked at the ring and tried to examine it using the same method she used to examine her personal space. Sure enough, she seemed to see a square personal space, about 1000 cubic meters in size.
"I see it!" Shen Xiao Yan exclaimed joyfully.
"See what?" Yue Qingxin and the other two asked in unison.
"I see a bee-sized personal space inside the ring," Shen Xiao Yan said. After speaking, she drank the water from the porcelain cup in front of her and, with a slight thought, put the cup into her personal space.