Lady Lin's First-ever Journey to Immortality

"Luoran, this kind of man is not worth your tears..." Baojia gives up her usual aggression and softens her voice.

Baojia tries to soften her voice, but her frowning brows betreat her. She is saying that to comfort Lin Luoran, asking her to leave that unfaithful man behind. Actually, Baojia wishes to grab a knife, chop that bastard into pieces and feed dogs!

Baojia looks at her friend who is sitting on the couch and staring at the television-the 27-year-old Lin Luoran. Luoran's cheeks have long lost their gloss and smoothness of her girlhood. Her long silky black hair still hangs by the waist, however, without special care, it already has withered split ends.

With her empty eyes and all those cheap clothes, Lin Luoran barely looks like that comely and clever girl she used to be at high school. She clearly seems like an ordinary woman in her late twenties...

Something suddenly starts to surge in Baojia's heart and almost drives her to tears. She gnashes her teeth in hatred, "I must go and find that bastard!" She says, picking up her handbag from the couch. Baojia turns around and heads outside.

A pair of hands grab her.

Blue veins stand out on these bony and pale hands. Only with a slight glimpse, Baojia knows whom these hands belong to-Besides, there is no other person in this house except the skinny Lin Luoran.

Baojia doesn't want to use her strength. These arms are so thin, which seem like they could easily be broken. She bursts into tears, "Why are you torturing yourself? That shameless couple is still alive and kicking!" Raging tears blur Baojia's eyes and fall down along her cheeks, messing up with her fine makeup. However, she doesn't have time to worry about all that now. She is sincerely feeling sorry for Luoran.

With dullness, Lin Luoran is startled by her friend's cry. Emotions begin to appear on her face. "Baojia..." She tries to speak, but her voice sounds hoarse. She hasn't been speaking a word for three days.

With tears still hanging on cheeks, Baojia couldn't conceal her excitement. She tries to touch Luoran's face while being afraid to startle the girl. She worries that this might just be her dream.

Lin Luoran's eyes are extremely dry since she hasn't slept in the last three days. No sleeping, no eating for three whole days... Lin Luoran always knows that she can endure hardship, but she never expects herself to be so tough. Perhaps this is why people say that poor people have more tenacity?

Finding herself regaining the ability to laugh at herself, Lin Luoran raises her head and sees a concerning look on Baojia's face. Lin Luoran forces a smile. "Baojia, I'm hungry." She grabs Baojia with her bony arms, wondering where her strength comes from.

Baojia takes a deep breath and forces herself to calm down. Maybe this is just Luoran's strategy. What if Luoran tries to commit suicide once she left?

"Let me order a takeout for you. Yon ho Soybean Milk, your favorite!" Baojia finds a compromise solution immediately. She rummages through her handbag until she finds her cellphone, dials the delivery hotline of the restaurant and orders soybean milk, vegetable porridge and Lin Luoran's favorite-kelp salad.

Lin Luoran doesn't reject. She remains silent and holds her best friends' hands tightly. The dark storm clouds of sorrow hovering over her during the last three days finally begins to disperse.

Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rings. The takeout arrives.

The soybean milk is still steaming. Lin Luoran eats unhurriedly, paying attention not to wasting any food. After finish eating, Lin Luoran feels that her stomach begins to relax and her arms and legs have regained strength. She looks at Baojia, "Don't worry. I still have to take care of my parents. I won't take my own life."

Hearing this, Baojia is finally relieved. She stays in Lin Luoran's rental apartment that night.

After hearing the slight breathing and making sure that Baojia is asleep, Lin Luoran, who is supposed to be in a sound sleep, opens her eyes.

Silver moonlight shines through the security window. This is a small appartment in an old building with at least thirty years of history. It is a high-risk old building located near downtown. The housing demolition and relocation plan are delayed in this area. Even previous residents are loath to live here so the appartments inside it are mostly rented out to migrant workers.

Lin Luoran is one of the migrant workers who has lived here for more than three years because of the low rent. She lives in such a building and bears the hardship for that guy! Both Lin Luoran and Li Anping come from rural areas. In their junior year of college, Li Anping's family had an accident. His mom kneeled down in front of Lin Luoran and begged for her help.

Li Anping stared at Lin Luoran with red eyes. Her parents also said that since they were engaged, it didn't matter which one of them could finish college. Therefore, the guileless parents of Lin Luoran made her give up the opportunity of finishing college to suport Li Anping finishing his study. Lin Luoran dropped out of school on her third year of study and began to work. She did more than one job at the same time because she had to send money home regularly and support Li Anping till he got his Master degree.

Li Anping got his current job with the help from Baojia, Lin Luoran's best friend.

It now appears to Lin Luoran that she is such a fool as to believe what he said.

Lin Luoran looks at the photo on the nightstand. In this photo, Li Anping is in high spirits. He is wearing a well-fitting sports jacket, looking quite energetic. No one could imagine that he was once a rustic rural boy.

He is indeed an ugly duckling man.

The ugly duckling man who successfully flies out of the mountain should match with a rich girl as a girlfriend, while Lin Luoran is just the stepping stone for Li Anping to make his way to the world of wealth...Teardrops run down her face silently.

She clenches her fist-She still has her parents and Baojia. She still owns something in the world!

******

Fortune House is the largest jewelry store chain in R city. Baojia works as a jewelry designer in this company. After Li Anping got his master's degree, he was hired by the company as an administrative assistant with Baojia's referral.

Li Anping has been working there for half a year now. Last month, Baojia joked Lin Luoran that a beautiful woman recently became the new superior of Li Anping and Lin should be alert. Lin Luoran didn't take it seriously.

Lin Luoran and Li Anping have been together for over seven years now. There were some other girls that had tried to pursue him during these years. However, Lin Luoran did not believe that a "beautiful woman" could pose too much threat to her at that time-What she didn't know was that this beautiful woman was not only the superior of Li Anping, but also the only daughter of the boss of Fortune House!

Such a soap drama, isn't it? Standing in front of the administration building of Fortune House, Lin Luoran could not help laughing at herself.

It's time to get off work. Baojia comes out in her high heels. Lin Luoran moves into the shadow of the corner, keeping herself out of Baojia's sight.

About half an hour later, most of the employees of Fortune House have left. Finally, a familiar figure appears.

In a well-fitting suit and with that well-groomed hair, Li Anping looks vigorous.

Right after him, a gorgeous woman in a career suit comes out of the building. Her face is not perfect, but thanks to all the luxury clothes and makeups, she looks gorgeous.

It must be Li Anping's new girlfriend.

Lin Luoran bites her lips unconsciously. With the beauty and noble birth, this woman surely has an extraordinary temperament. But Lin Luoran cannot hold back. This has to be done.

Lin Luoran is incompatible with this ornate building, down and out, which makes her easily spotted.

However, instead of Li Anping, it is the princess of Fortune House who first notices the presence of Lin Luoran. She pouts and says to Li Anping, "Oh look. Your old lover is here."

Li Anping turns around and sees Lin Luoran in her plain clothes. In touch of disgust crosses his brows, Anping quickly looks back to his current girlfriend, eyes full of tenderness and says, "Elly, I have told you that my engagement with her was arranged by parents. I have broken up with her a long time ago..."

Elly takes her handbag from Li Anping and interrupts his explanation, "Broken up a long time ago? This means that you two used to have a relationship... Well, you have five minutes to deal with her."

Elly never takes rivals like Lin Luoran seriously. She doesn't give another glance at Lin Luoran and walks directly towards her new Audi TT. This car is not very expensive, but Elly likes it. It is just like her men. They don't need to have good backgrounds. Under her title, they should look much more expensive.

Li Anping is sullen-faced. He walks to Lin Luoran, unwillingly.

"I thought I had made it clear enough. Luoran, we are not right for each other. Our personalities are not compatible..." Li Anping says impatiently, hoping to end this mess in five minutes.

Lin Luoran stops him, "Li Anping, you are thinking too much."

Lin Luoran is not blind. She can see the disgust in Li Anping's eyes. She no longer has trust in him, and she is aware that the fact that Li Anping has chosen to be with the rich woman is a foregone conclusion. Therefore, even wallowed in grief, she will never show it in front of this bastard!

"Since we are broken up, you should return my heirloom." Lin Luoran tries to stay indifferent, pointing at the bracelet on his wrist.

It is the heirloom of Lin Luoran's family for countless generations. The style of this silver bracelet is simple, which makes it suitable for both men and women to wear. Silver wires intertwine on the bracelet and there is a 2cm bead spinning inside of a hollow ball made of silver wires.

Lin Luoran's mom put the bracelet on Li Anping's wrist on their engagement party.

Hearing that Lin Luoran only came to reclaim the bracelet, rather than crying to get him back, Li Anping becomes very angry, "Lin Luoran, aren't you being stingy too much? Can't believe you come all the way to ask for this shitty bracelet!"

Is this dreadful man the one she used to love? He has become strange and distant . However, the bracelet is indeed the heirloom of her family for generations, and she must take it back.

She sneers, "A shitty bracelet. Li Anping, when did you develop this duplicity?"

Mixed expressions show on Li Anping's face. He can't tell Lin Luoran that Elly's birthday is around the corner. Among everything he owns, this antique bracelet might be the most valuable thing. He has taken it to an antique shop and the owner offered him 30,000 yuan, saying that he liked its style. Li Anping is cunning likes every petty man. Since the shop owner's first offer was 30,000 RMB, Li Anping certainly wanted to hold it on and wait for the price to go up... Now, unexpectedly, Lin Luoran comes to ask the bracelet back. If he does return it, where on earth shall he find another birthday gift for Elly?

A harsh sound of car horn draws Li Anping back to reality.

Elly rolls down the window of her red Audi TT. Over half of her face is covered by the sunglasses. She smiles, "The reunion with your old flame is still not over , hum?

Li Anping replies at once, "I have nothing to do with her. I'm coming." He walks away from Lin Luoran and gets into the car.

Elly rolls up the car window and about to step on the gas pedal. Suddenly, a shadow casts on her-Lin Luoran has grabbed the rearview mirror. With blue veins standing out on her hand, Lin Luoran said slowly, "I just want my bracelet back."

Elly looks towards Li Anping. She knows that he wears an antique silver bracelet all the time, but she doesn't expect it belongs to Lin Luoran!

Knowing Elly too well, Li Anping certainly understands what would upset her. If he keeps the bracelet today, there's no doubt that Elly will pick a fight with him. He will never do such things like suffering a big loss for a little gain...

Li Anping takes off the bracelet as if nothing has happened. He explains, "I was intended to return it to her parents in person."

Elly is satisfied with his explanation, no matter how unconvincing it is. She takes the bracelet and gives it a glance. It looks even more beautiful as she keeps staring at it. She didn't expect that a rural family could own such a piece of nice jewelry.

Elly holds up the bracelet. "To my surprise, it is quite beautiful..." She pauses on purpose, looking to Li Anping then to Lin Luoran, both of whom change their expressions-Li Anping out of guilt and Lin Luoran out of the thought that Elly might refuse to return the bracelet.

Seeing this, Elly said, pouting, "But it is still cheap, no matter how beautiful it is!"

Lin Luoran's face went white to the lips. Elly doesn't feel bad at all. She only finds this country girl quite interesting, so she tosses the bracelet in a direction which Lin Luoran obviously has no chance of catching it-

The silver bracelet hits the ground with a crisp sound. Lin Luoran lets go of the rearview mirror unknowingly.

Elly rolls up the car window. With a nice drift, the Audi TT is gone.

Lin Luoran has pinched herself so hard with nails that her palm begins to bleed. She bends over and picks up the bracelet, wishing to leave immediately. She doesn't want to breathe the same air that shameless couple breathes.

******

It is already dark outside when Lin Luoran finally gets home after two bus-transfers without haste.

She is too tired even to turn on the light.

She has reclaimed the heirloom of her family and will have no more connection with the heartbreaker. It's time to think about what to do next.

Her parents are aging and they have been urging her to marry Li Anping for half a year. For now, she will not tell them about the break-up because she doesn't want to burst their bubbles.

She had paid a full-year-rent upfront and she can still live here for another seven months. As for work, Lin Luoran was fired a week ago. The manager spoke evasively that Lin Luoran had offended someone, but she couldn't figure out who on earth it was.

The arrogant attitude of Li Anping's new girlfriend today actually reminds Lin Luoran that the "someone" might be this petty woman who seems to be easy-going on the outside... It will be a lie to say that Lin Luoran does not hate Elly since not only did Elly seduce her boyfriend, this woman also got her fired. Nevertheless, there is nothing Lin Luoran can do. Perhaps she could never revenge them for the gap between them is way too big. Lin Luoran must take care of her parents so she can't just go and pour vitriol on Elly's face.

Lin Luoran and Li Anping were going to get married. They even saved 30,000 yuan for their wedding. But the money was taken by Li Anping in the name of attending training. It means that all Lin Luoran gets from this six-year relationship are nothing but lost youth, unfinished study, awkward age, and the left 1,600 yuan!

Lin Luoran grasps the silver bracelet unconsciously. Her palm starts to bleed again. The blood drops through the hollow silver wires onto the bead, which absorbs the blood without her noticing!

After absorbing blood, the bead begins to glow and vibrate slightly like it still lacks strength because of hunger.

Lin Luoran stays immersed in her thoughts and fails to notice this bizarre phenomenon.

The bead keeps vibrating like a living creature with Reiki. It appears to be anxious for having no solution to its hunger. Then, as if it has finally made the decision, the bead shines and these silver wires wrapped around it begin to move. They transform into spikes and directly prick into Lin Luoran's palm!

The room is dark. Lin Luoran is just distracted, but not blind. She certainly sees the light shining from her palm. But the minute she raises her hand, these silver wires prick her and shock the hell out of her.

The pain is not unbearable. It seems like she is bitten by an ant. Still, Lin Luoran is nearly scared to death.

This phenomenon is beyond the scope of scientific explanation . No normal person will be not frightened or shocked. Let alone that these silver wires have now transformed into thin crystal tubes. Lin Luoran could see her fresh blood being drawn out, dropping on the bead which absorbs all.

Lin Luoran uses all her strength to shake her hand but fails to take the bracelet off. It's like that the bracelet is rooted in her palm just in a very short amount of time. She could feel that a lot of blood is drawn from her because she already begins to feel dizzy, which is exactly the reaction of excessive loss of blood.

The more blood the bead absorbs, the brighter it becomes. Within several minutes, the dim glow grows brighter and brighter, it becomes dazzling!

Lin Luoran feels that her vision is blurred. There is no need to guess that she will die if the bead keeps drawing her blood.

She realizes that this is not an ordinary heirloom while being afraid of not having time to use it... It seems that the bead has noticed her fear. With a slight "buzz", it retrieves the tubes and stops drawing blood from her.

Lin Luoran takes the chance to throw the bracelet onto the table and slumps into the tattered couch.

Her lips are pale and her cloth is soaked by sweat as if she just got out of the pool.

Except for the glow, the bracelet returns to its normal form and the crystal tubes are gone.

Lin Luoran survives from the disaster. Although she is extremely curious, she does not dare to pick up the bracelet to have a closer look. With time passing by, the light of the bead gradually darkens into shimmer.

Lin Luoran leans forward a little bit, checking out this heirloom which has almost killed her.

Something is happening. Lin Luoran rubs her eyes, thinking that she might have illusions. However, the scene in front of her doesn't change at all.

When the light is darkened, Lin Luoran discovers that after absorbing her blood, the silver surface of the bracelet is melting. The hollow silver wires which seem like a cage or a protective layer of the spooky bead...

Lin Luoran steps back warily. The bracelet gradually melts into a pool of liquid silver, lustering under the glow of the bead.

Lin Luoran surprisingly finds that the silver liquid is also absorbed by the bead just as the bead did to her hand. That poor of silver liquid disappears just in seconds.

Lin Luoran grasps the pillow in her arms, pressing her lips together.

The glow of the bead becomes even more appealing. Layers of colorful light rings circles around the bead. It is the most breath-taking jewelry in the world!

The bead jumps up and down in the air like it is cheering.

Lin Luoran squints, thinking about how to deal with this supernatural thing... It is unrealistic to hit it with the pillow. However, within her reach, there is only half a glass of water on the table. Should she pour water on it?

Water is not dog blood which might drive out evil spirits... Lin Luoran draws on her imagination while her body stays tight. She has never been more nervous before.

The bead rotates in the air. The light rings of it move like a comet's tail. Surprisingly, the bead dashes to her at high speed!

Lin Luoran has no time to respond when the bead hits her face... Like crackling fireworks, all she can see are flashing dazzling rays of light. Lin Luoran closes her eyes reflexively.

Lin Luoran couldn't help shedding tears due to the bright light. It seems like there is no other threat. She tries to move her hands and feet and manages to open her eyes. The scene in front of her is so amazing.

Where is she?

She is standing on a lawn. These grasses grow like crazy, almost reaching two feet tall.

It is a land of about half an acre, where a log cabin covers over 1/3 of the area. In the distance, there is a small pond, bubbling of spring. A sapling grows beside the pond, fresh and alive.

A red fruit in the size of mulberry is hanging on the sapling, which looks juicy with the vapor of the spring.

Lin Luoran pinches herself hard on the cheek. Ouch!

The log cabin is still there, so is the bubbling spring. Lin Luoran remains standing on the grass-This is not a dream. Everything in front of her must have something to do with that mysterious bead, Lin Luoran suspects.

She is inherently tougher than ordinary girls or else she wouldn't have survived all these years of difficulties. Therefore, Lin Luoran is fairly calm when she encounters with this kind of supernatural things.

Holding the thought of taking things as they come, Lin Luoran decides to explore this mysterious space.

She thinks for a moment, then picks up a clod from the ground and tosses it out.

With a nice curve, the clod is bounced off at around 30cm from the log cabin. The cabin appears to be protected by an invisible shield.

Lin Luoran is curious. Since only the clod is bounced off, it might be okay for the human to get closer. She walks toward the cabin one step after another. As exactly as expected, she then hits something bouncy like jelly. A transparent pit forms after she pokes it with her finger.

Obviously, she can't get into the cabin, at least for now.

Her eyes cast on the small pond and an idea comes to her mind.

The spring nourishes the fruit and both of them might be magical restoratives. Then whether should she drink the spring or eat the fruit, that is a question.

Anyhow, Lin Luoran doesn't want to risk her life so she picks a blade of grass to fiddle with the water. A long time later, the grass still remains green. At least she proves that the spring is not corrosive.

She nerves herself to put the wet grass into her mouth. The taste of mud rushes into her mouth. But she also tastes a bit of sweetness. Is this the sweetness of the spring? How miraculous!

Lin Luoran has experienced too many strange things so far. If the spring is toxic, she is destined never be a protagonist. She hesitates for a while and finally bends over and drinks a handful of water, thinking that this place is mysterious but peaceful so the water will probably be unharmful.

Lin Luoran has been thirsty for long since she hasn't drunk any water after coming back from the visit to Li Anping. Also, a lot of blood was drawn from her. Now, spring water runs down her throat and its sweetness fills her mouth. Lin Luoran feels good as if she has just drunk a bottle of ice water in the midsummer. She no longer feels anxious about this place.

She couldn't help drinking some more.

There is plenty of sun in this mysterious space and the temperature is just right. Lin Luoran lies on the grass, waiting for something magical to happen to her. It is so comfortable that she doesn't even want to get up.

With time passing by, Lin Luoran almost falls asleep while waiting. However, she hasn't gone to the stage that written in the novel about the situation after someone takes magical restoratives.

Lin Luoran touches her face. Her skin is not that smooth. The roughness is inevitable for she can't afford expensive skincare products.

And her hands... What? The cracks and wrinkles caused by cold weather are gone.

Her facial skin hasn't changed, but her hands, after soaking in the spring, become much smoother. Is this the effect of the spring? Lin Luoran becomes excited. Perhaps her whole family can live on the spring which can improve skin conditions.

Lin Luoran is not greedy. She feels glad enough after just figuring out the effect of the spring!

The finding lifted her spirits. Lin Luoran gets up and walks briskly to the spring, checking on the pond that carries her hope...She hasn't gotten out of the shadow of lovelorn yet. Lin Luoran is born with the toughness of lower-class people. This is the exact time for her to distract her attention to something else, for instance, the mysterious space or the small pond which might change her future.

The spring water comes bubbling up out of the underground. It seems to be an everlasting pond.

An idea comes to Lin Luoran's mind. Will the spring water have some extraordinary effect on plants?

She can't wait to have a try, but there is only grass and a sapling in this space.

Only thinking about watering the grass with the magic spring water makes Lin Luoran's heart aches.

Then... It has to be the sapling. Lin Luoran wonders whether that red fruit is edible.

All the sudden, Lin Luoran begins to feel hungry. However, she couldn't bring herself to pick it for the fruit is so tiny and beautiful.

She stares at the pond and for some reason, she holds a handful of water and pours them on the sapling.

"What?"

Lin Luoran couldn't help but marvel.

The spring water immediately seeps into the soil and the leaves also absorb all the water drops on them. In a minute, even in the blink of an eye, the sapling starts to change right in front of her.

The leaves gleam. Not only do they look greener, but also shine like jade. It seems that the leaves evolve into jadite in just a short amount of time.

The leaves are shining. Something like mist rises up and flows around the leaves. It circles the red fruit for a moment before the fruit greedily absorbs it.

The greenness of the leaves gradually fade away while the fruit gets even redder. The leaves no longer have the texture of jade, but the fruit is gradually turning into a ruby.

With a slight crack, the fruit falls from the sapling!

Lin Luoran catches it before it falls to the ground.

She looks back at the sapling. It has returned normal and all that glitterare gone. Obviously, the red fruit ripens by absorbing the essence of the sapling, which makes it so precious. Lin Luoran feels the warmth of the fruit in her palm. This thing really doesn't look like an ordinary fruit! Lin Luoran struggles between eating it and throwing it away.

However, she has been staying in this space for quite a while. How can she get back?

The moment this thought flashes in her head, Lin Luoran finds that the scene in front of her starts to change. She actually finds herself returns to her house in a blink of eye, remaining the gesture of lying on the couch as before.

Are these all her illusion? Thinking about this, Lin Luoran looks down on her hands-The mysterious bead is once again tied around her waist by a thread of silver, soft but strong. It appears that this thread of silver comes from inside the bead for there is no joint.

She finds something warm in her right hand. Lin Luoran loosens her grip and sees that ruby-red fruit.

The warmth in her hand is a reminder that what she just experienced is not a dream, but an adventure!