"Little brat, you're still pretending to be dead. You wouldn't even give me a bite to eat? I'll beat you to death!"
Before Gu Qingcheng could even open her eyes, she felt a barrage of kicks raining down on her. Waves of pain shot from her stomach and waist where she had been hit. Gu Qingcheng couldn't help but groan in agony, curling her body into a shrimp-like ball.
"Quick, tell me, where did you hide the steamed bun?" Seeing that Gu Qingcheng could still cry out in pain, the attacker snarled, "I knew you were faking! Let's see you fake it now!"
A large foot stomped down hard on Gu Qingcheng's finger. The toe kept pressing down, applying more force. With every fiber of her being, Gu Qingcheng's face contorted in pain, but for some reason, her body wouldn't move; it was beyond her control.
Who the hell was this bastard daring to treat her like this?
Just wait until she regained control of her body; he'd regret it.
"You're bleeding, and you're still faking? You hid the steamed bun in your chest, didn't you? Don't think I won't search you just because you're a woman."
With that, the person crouched down and started groping Gu Qingcheng. Gu Qingcheng felt a chill on her stomach; her clothes must have been lifted.
A pair of hands fumbled around her pockets, but they didn't find the steamed bun he was looking for.
"Stinking girl, did you actually dare to eat it? I'll cut open your belly and dig out the steamed bun! You only just swallowed it, so it can't have been digested yet."
The person shrieked madly and grabbed a sharp stone nearby. Driven by hunger, he became like a furious beast, aiming the stone at Gu Qingcheng's stomach and thrusting it down with all his might.
Judging by his posture, he was genuinely intending to cut open Gu Qingcheng's stomach and dig out the steamed bun.
Just as the tip of the stone was about to touch Gu Qingcheng's belly, a rustling sound came from the nearby grass. He was startled, thinking someone had arrived. He quickly threw the stone away and turned to run.
After he ran off, the grass rustled again, and a green bamboo viper slithered away. The grass quickly returned to its peaceful state after the snake had passed.
Gu Qingcheng finally managed to force her eyes open, feeling pain all over her body.
What was going on?
Wasn't she shopping at the Mountain Cat membership store with her mom and dad? Why was she lying in the wilderness when she opened her eyes?
Where was this place? How did I get here?
A flash of white light streaked across Gu Qingcheng's mind. As the original owner's memories were poured into her, Gu Qingcheng finally understood. She had transmigrated. She had transmigrated to the Great Zhou Dynasty, a time filled with famine and war. And she, along with her parents, was trudging through a desperate escape with the entire village.
"Qingcheng, where are you? Where did you run off to?"
While she was still confused, Gu Qingcheng suddenly heard a voice calling from afar.
It was her dad, Gu Chaobei.
"Dad, I'm here!"
Gu Qingcheng, afraid no one would find her and that the villain who almost cut her open might return, tried her best to shout back.
She hadn't expected to be able to speak, but in her desperation, she had found her voice.
As her voice faded, the sound of "patter-patter" footsteps approached. Soon, a middle-aged man, looking haggard and extremely thin, and a middle-aged woman with a pale face, hurried over. Seeing her collapsed by the roadside, they quickly knelt down to check her body.
"Qingcheng, how did you end up like this?"
Gu Chaobei's gaze turned fierce when he saw his daughter's disheveled clothes and injuries.
"Qingcheng, which scoundrel did this to you? Did he take liberties with you?"
Seeing her daughter's disordered clothing, her mother, Hu Lanfang, immediately burst into tears, her heart aching.
"Dad, Mom, is that you? Did we all transmigrate together?"
Gu Qingcheng looked at their ancient attire, but their body language and familiar words made her feel incredibly close. In a moment of impulse, the question blurted out.
"My dear, it's really you. We did transmigrate, but thank goodness we're still together."
Hu Lanfang breathed a sigh of relief when she heard her daughter's question.
Gu Chaobei also quickly said, "After your mom and I realized something was wrong, we searched everywhere for you. Fortunately, we found you."
Gu Chaobei was a community doctor. His job meant he was essentially a general practitioner. After examining his daughter, he said,
"No major harm done. She must have fainted from hunger and exhaustion, coupled with the kicking, which made her unable to move for a while. It's good that it's only external injuries."
"It was that scoundrel Gu Dou. He suspected I stole Grandma's steamed bun and, after you walked far away, he stopped me to demand it. When I refused, he knocked me out and even wanted to cut open my belly to get the steamed bun."
Gu Qingcheng recounted the events.
"Little beast, daring to treat you like this! We'll definitely settle this score."
Gu Chaobei exploded when he heard this. He habitually adjusted his glasses, only to realize he wasn't wearing them.
"Our environment isn't good, you know. Families are torn apart, and we've encountered this Great Zhou Dynasty's barren year, with a whole clan on the run."
Hu Lanfang murmured, then tenderly pulled her daughter up from the ground, holding her half-embrace. She asked dejectedly, "Qingcheng, how are you feeling now?"
"Do I even need to ask? Look how badly she's injured. If this were before, we'd have to call 120 and have her in the hospital for ten days to half a month, then call 110 and have that scoundrel arrested and locked up for a few years."
Gu Chaobei said fiercely, his eyes radiating killing intent.
Hu Lanfang felt immense pain. Looking at Gu Qingcheng's severe injuries, her heart burned with rage.
Hu Lanfang was no pushover either. She was fiery and capable. Working at the neighborhood committee, her greatest skill was dealing with rogues and rascals, which showed her personality.
"Dad, Mom, it hurts so much, but we can't separate from the main group. Help me up, we need to catch up to the team. Being alone is too dangerous!"
Seeing her parents, Gu Qingcheng was already greatly relieved. Although she was an only child, she was quite strong-willed and knew the seriousness of the situation.
The three family members had already received their original bodies' information and understood their current circumstances.
The dynasty they were in was called the Great Zhou Dynasty. They had the misfortune to transmigrate during a time when the northern part of the Great Zhou Dynasty had experienced little rain for three consecutive years. After three years of drought, some residents in the north, suffering from the disaster, were collectively fleeing south.
The southern part of the Great Zhou Dynasty bordered the sea on one side and a primeval forest on the other. The land was moist and fertile, suitable for reclamation and farming. Moreover, the forest contained a large number of wild animals, and if all else failed, they could hunt there to survive. Thus, it became a paradise in the minds of the northern residents.
Gu Qingcheng's family originally lived in a small place called Taoyuan Village in Zhoulu Town in the north. After the land became barren due to the severe drought, Taoyuan Village could no longer hold on, and the entire village fled collectively.
This was only the 15th day of their escape, and the food they brought was almost gone. Gu Qingcheng, not paying attention, fell behind the fleeing team. As a result, Gu Dou, her paternal uncle's son, in order to snatch a steamed bun, not only knocked her out but also almost disemboweled her.