林薇—it should be noted, her current self was definitely not the JPL Group's CEO— groaned and tried to push herself up. The mud was cold and sticky, and the stench was almost enough to make her throw up. She was supposed to be in a fancy suit in a high-rise office, signing contracts worth billions, but now she was lying in some godforsaken village, probably smelling like dårlig jord.

"Careful, you'll get mud all over your dress," a voice said behind her.

A hand gently brushed the mud off her shoulder. Lin Wei - the village belle who everyone thought was a fool - blinked her eyes, though they were still a bit hazy. "Who's there?" she asked, her voice soft and shaky.

It was the village head's daughter, Xiaoli. She was about the same age as Lin Wei and always wore simple, hand-me-down clothes. But in this moment, she looked gentle and kind. "I'm Xiaoli. See, your dress is all dirty. Let me help you up."

Xiaoli's hands were rough, used to manual labor, but they were gentle on Lin Wei. She helped her sit up, then fanned her face with a small hand fan. "It's so hot. You should rest."