The sunlight streamed through the window, and Lu Zheng groggily opened his eyes, shielding them with his hand from the light pouring in because he forgot to draw the curtains last night. He pulled the blanket over himself, and after a moment, his brain began to function.
With a start, he immediately focused his mind, “seeing” a jade seal floating in the empty, chaotic space of his consciousness.
The jade seal, about the size of a fist, was bluish-white with a smooth, unmarked base, bobbing uncertainly in the mental space, emitting a faint glow.
“It’s still there, brilliant, not a dream!” Lu Zheng muttered to himself.
This was the eighteenth time this month he had confirmed it upon waking.
No wonder, it was too astounding.
This thing connected to an ancient world, allowing him to travel back and forth at will, physically, along with anything he could carry!
Lu Zheng took a moment, got out of bed, and pulled on a white inner garment nearby.
As he was about to put it on, he realised he was in the modern world, so he grabbed a short-sleeved shirt instead and made the bed.
He also gathered the ancient clothes he wore in the other world: the inner garment, dark cyan cotton robe, hat, thin-soled boots, and a wig bought online, neatly putting them aside.
After washing up, Lu Zheng checked his phone for delivery updates, nodded with satisfaction, and headed out feeling refreshed.
Breakfast and picking up parcels took less than an hour. Back at his rental, Lu Zheng eagerly opened the packages.
A set of silk bedding.
A velvet quilt.
A purple clay tea set.
A Jingdezhen underglaze ceramic dining set.
“Hmm, the kitchen knives and spices have already been sent over, and with these plates and bowls, it’s all sorted.”
Along with the toiletries he had sent earlier, Lu Zheng felt his ancient home was nearly complete.
This meant he could stay in the ancient world for twenty-four hours without inconvenience, especially since he had prepared five large bags of toilet paper.
“Bedding’s sorted, now I just need a maid to warm the bed, and I can live the leisurely life of a wealthy landlord.”
Lu Zheng changed into the ancient clothes from his bedroom, gathered the parcels in his arms, and connected with the jade seal in his mind. In an instant, he vanished from this world.
…
In the blink of an eye, the scene changed.
Grey bricks and white walls, sunlight filtering faintly through paper-covered windows, softly illuminating Lu Zheng’s bedroom in this world.
A brand-new canopy bed sat against the far wall, next to a clothes rack and wardrobe. Several large wooden chests were stacked along the wall, and a table and chair set stood against another, with only a lone oil lamp on the tabletop.
The furniture, made of fine paulownia wood with carved and polished surfaces, was crafted over two months by the county’s best carpenter.
Setting down his items, Lu Zheng replaced the bed’s thin cotton quilt with the silk bedding, took out the dishes and tea set, and placed them in a prepared wicker basket. He crossed back to the modern world to dispose of the packaging, then returned with a wooden box and stepped out of his bedroom.
“Uncle Li!”
“Here, young master, you’re up!” An old man in coarse cloth jogged over from the front courtyard.
“Yes, take these to the kitchen.”
“Right away!”
Uncle Li took the wicker basket from Lu Zheng, glanced at the exquisite dishes inside with a flicker of amazement, asked no questions, and headed to the front courtyard.
Lu Zheng stretched, looking at the back courtyard through the dappled sunlight.
Two persimmon trees stood in the yard, with a stone table and benches beneath. On either side were a guest room and a study.
The small courtyard was serene and tranquil, his new home in this world.
…
Lu Zheng, a model young man of the new century, had just graduated when the company he was set to join suddenly downsized, leaving him jobless. He was now job-hunting in this coastal megacity.
Eighteen days ago, while wandering through the City God Temple, he saw a stall selling jade seals. Thinking of his father’s calligraphy hobby, he bought one to gift him for the New Year.
That night, the seal lodged itself in his mind.
No blood-binding ritual, it just settled in, utterly unreasonable.
Well-versed in web novels, Lu Zheng knew his cheat had arrived.
Though puzzled—neither an orphan nor driven by deep grudges or desires—why had this cheat chosen him?
Initially unfamiliar with the seal’s functions, he accidentally crossed into another world, startling himself.
Fortunately, he wasn’t immediately killed. After quickly mastering the seal’s use, he set aside his doubts and eagerly explored the new world.
Half an hour later, he returned…
He had seen the people of this world and, observing from afar, realised his modern clothes stood out starkly.
Calming down, Lu Zheng cautiously observed from a distance, then returned to the modern world to buy ancient-style clothes, a stab-proof vest, and a self-defence taser before venturing back.
Having appeared near Tonglin County, he soon encountered merchants and locals on the official road, giving him a glimpse of this world’s people.
Realising they looked like him, Lu Zheng’s disguise was flawless. He blended in with the locals and easily entered Tonglin County.
Over two days, he learned the basics of this world.
Though the language, script, and culture were almost identical to ancient China, resembling the Song or Ming eras, this was an entirely unfamiliar world.
Unfamiliar geography, history, and dynasty.
“A parallel world?”
Learning that the Great Jing Dynasty had lasted centuries with peace and prosperity, Lu Zheng was thrilled, feeling he had stumbled upon a treasure.
“My cheat is too good, giving me such a peaceful world!”
After grasping the customs, security, and prices of the Great Jing Dynasty, confirming basic safety and order, Lu Zheng returned to the modern world and bought a pair of glass lion ornaments.
What followed was a clichéd but effective tale.
Fallen family, too ashamed to face friends, so he ventured afar to start anew.
The people of Great Jing bought it. Lu Zheng pawned his “last heirloom” at the county’s largest pawnshop for five hundred guan, registered his household at the county office, and bought a three-courtyard house in the city.
Uncle Li and Aunt Liu, bonded servants, came with the house, their contracts handed over with the deed.
Uncle Li handled the gate and cleaning, Aunt Liu cooked and washed.
Over the next few days, Lu Zheng furnished his new home in Tonglin County.
Furniture, clothes, and daily items were bought locally, while he brought small, luxurious modern items: spices, porcelain dishes, purple clay tea sets.
And, of course, toilet paper—the local straw paper was far too rough!
To avoid suspicion from Uncle Li and Aunt Liu, Lu Zheng kept several large chests in his bedroom, forbidding their entry.
New items? Just things from his hometown, being unpacked gradually.
…
Thus, eighteen days passed.
Lu Zheng hadn’t decided what to do in this world yet. His initial plan was to gain a status, acquire property, and become a small-scale merchant between worlds without drawing attention, living comfortably as a minor tycoon in both.
No risks, no exposure, just a secure, leisurely life as a wealthy landlord.
At least no 996 grind for “blessings,” right?
