Love like the Galaxy

Chapter 1

Transmigration, Sickness, and Slow Recovery

This building was a one-story structure constructed from mud bricks, shaped like the character "一" (one). It was divided into three horizontal sections: the central part functioned as a hall and dining area during busy times, while the two ends served as living spaces. Yu Cailing[1] resided in the eastern room, which was simple, with walls coated in yellow mud and polished to a smooth sheen. A large, square, clay-like fire pit was on the floor, rustic yet effective for heating. Although she usually remained composed, Yu Cailing was so shocked that she nearly fainted.

The room lacked beds, chairs, or stools. Instead, a lacquered wooden platform built against the inner wall rose like steps, covering about a third of the floor space. A layer of bedding served as a bed, with small, round cotton cushions for seating. A small square table was used for meals and drinks. After watching some of Akira Kurosawa’s old films, Yu Cailing thought they resembled the minimalist interiors of ancient Japanese homes.

When she awoke ten days ago, the shock of this realization, aside from her intense headache, nearly caused her to faint again, longing for death. Her hometown was a secluded village in Jiangnan, hidden in a mountain hollow, where dialects changed every hundred miles and customs every thousand. She had only encountered two Japanese soldiers who had arduously traversed the mountains to find them. It was only when urban young men returned and spoke of them that she learned these figures were called "devils." The village chief had delivered an impassioned speech, urging villagers to poison gifts like sweet potatoes, dried radishes, or yams with rat poison if they should encounter such "devils" again. Sadly, no more "devils" appeared, and the rat poison remained unused.

It wasn’t until after the nation's founding, when the government blasted through mountains, built roads and bridges, and dug tunnels, that her hometown gradually became the only small town among the surrounding mountain villages.

"Young lady, it’s time for your medicine," a middle-aged woman said as she entered the room with a rough wooden tray. She then turned to the little girl, who was holding up the thick cotton curtain, and added, "A Mei[2], lower the curtain. It’s cold outside."

Yu Cailing quickly regained her focus and knelt upright. The woman placed the tray on a small table, which held two ceramic bowls — one large with steaming herbal medicine and the other containing three candied fruits. Yu Cailing lifted the large bowl and drank the medicine quietly. Its bitterness flooded her mouth, harsher than pesticide—although she had never actually tasted pesticide. She then picked up a candied fruit, slowly suckling on it while watching the woman kneeling opposite her. The woman had asked Yu Cailing to call her simply Fu Zhu. Since Yu Cailing wasn't used to addressing people by single characters — reminding her of the playful way the town's multi-functional hair salon owner called her many lovers — she hesitated to speak improperly, especially without understanding local customs. Just two days earlier, she had heard from A Mei about a neighboring child suffering nightmares and babbling nonsense, only to be force-fed a talisman soup concocted by a shaman that nearly took his life. As a result, she only mumbled vaguely in response. Later, she learned it was indeed appropriate to call the woman Fu Zhu.

The woman, Fu Zhu, had a square face and a sturdy build, with a solemn expression. She wore a grayish-white linen short jacket over a long gown, with trousers visible below the knees—likely for ease of movement. In contrast, Yu Cailing's outfit, although also lacking silk, consisted of a thick cotton long gown that tied around her waist and reached her feet. The ten-year-old girl A Mei, standing next to them, was dressed even more simply in a cotton short coat, with her thick patterned cotton trousers visible as she ran through the courtyard.

Approximately ten days earlier, Yu Cailing lay semi-conscious on a mattress, her eyelids heavy and sluggish. She overheard a piercing female voice scolding someone: "...You worthless fool! Our lady entrusted you with this duty, and you've failed so badly. If anything truly happens to the young lady, feeding your entire family to the dogs wouldn't be enough!" A hesitant voice responded, "At that time, you told me to ignore her, let her shout and break things—that she was here punished for her mistakes and needed to be broken in first. I didn't expect her to catch a fever..." The stern voice retorted, "Nonsense! Regardless of her faults, she's still the master's daughter. How could you neglect her!"

Yu Cailing hovered between consciousness and unconsciousness, vaguely aware of someone administering her medicine. Her strong will to survive pushed her to swallow despite her hazy state. She heard a sharp voice laughing and saying, "...I won't lie—this is a hot potato. It can't be too easy or too tough. Now she's so ill that no one wants to take responsibility. But you've been pleading with me for days..."

Then, Fu Zhu's gentle yet slow voice responded with a smile, saying, "If the young lady hadn't fallen so ill, I wouldn't have received this fortunate assignment. I only hope the master remembers my efforts so that A Mei and A Liang can have a brighter future." A clinking sound, probably coins, preceded a sharp, satisfied voice saying, "Good. Since you've accepted this task, do it well." She then departed.

Even with her mind feverish, Yu Cailing—who was nearly perfect at logic—could deduce that this body probably belonged to a young noblewoman from an ancient aristocratic family, currently serving a punishment in the countryside. The previous caretaker was negligent, causing the girl to fall very ill with a high fever and die, which allowed her to take over the body.

When she first saw Fu Zhu, Yu Cailing—with her limited knowledge of ancient history—desperately hoped she would be wearing the gowns of the Qing dynasty or the revealing Tang attire. She wouldn't have minded marrying a husband with a half-shaved head or exposing her neckline area in winter! Unfortunately, she didn't know which era this long gown belonged to. Yu Cailing mourned for three days until the fourth, when she recovered enough to follow A Mei and watch a bride's wedding procession. Her spirits suddenly lifted—even though A Mei had no idea why the usually gloomy young lady had inexplicably brightened. Fu Zhu was also watching Yu Cailing. To aid her recovery, the physician had prescribed a strong dose, and even she would have winced at such bitter medicine. But apart from the first time when the young lady spat it out, she had since taken every dose in one go without complaint, her clenched jaw and pursed lips showing her stubborn resilience. Fu Zhu considered herself a woman of few words, but this little Female Lord was even more taciturn, often spending whole days in gloomy silence, speaking only a few words to A Mei—how unlike the outside descriptions suggested, Fu Zhu thought with some puzzlement.

After drinking the medicinal broth, the round-faced A Mei snuggled up to Yu Cailing and said, "Young Lady, it's warm outside today. Let's go and play." Yu Cailing, exhausted from kneeling, nodded in consent. Fu Zhu, the woman, smiled and remarked, "Some sunshine would do you good. But since the guards aren’t here today, don’t wander too far. Take A Liang with you."

Yu Cailing cast a curious look at Fu Zhu. Usually very reserved, today she spoke more than usual and even let her leave without a male chaperone.

A Mei stuck her tongue out at her mother, then quickly assisted Yu Cailing into her sturdy, thick-soled cotton shoes before wrapping her in a heavy cloak. The two girls happily held hands and skipped outside.

━━━━༻❁༺━━━━

Outside, Yu Cailing took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp, icy air that replaced the warmth from the charcoal inside. Looking up at the northern countryside sky, she realized that "blue skies and white clouds" from her childhood textbooks was more than just a metaphor. The vast, high expanse above her was as clear and refreshing as cold ice water, leaving her feeling energized.

Turning back to look at the small courtyard, she saw a wide fence surrounding the house at a distance. Although a humble rural home, its roof was tall and eye-catching, and the three rooms inside were spacious and airy, without any cramped or oppressive feeling—such grand, open architecture bore no resemblance to Japanese style. Yu Cailing nodded in satisfaction.

Holding little A Mei’s hand and guiding a lively seven- or eight-year-old boy, she was about to exit the yard when two riders in short clothing rushed toward her from a distance, kicking up snow and dust. A keen-eyed A Mei suddenly exclaimed, "It’s Father... and Elder Brother!" She quickly waved her arms and shouted, "Father! Elder Brother!"

The two riders smoothly pulled their horses to a stop at the gate and dismounted. The middle-aged man in front immediately folded his fists and bowed to Yu Cailing with a smile, saying, "Young Lady." The young rider behind him, about seventeen or eighteen, did the same.

Yu Cailing nodded slightly and smiled up at them. "Fu Yi, you’re back." The bearded man lifted his head and cheerfully replied, "Young Lady, are you heading out to play? I just saw the Water Shrine ahead, holding a ceremony for the Stream Deity. It might be fun to watch." Turning to his son, he added, "Deng, don’t go inside yet. Go with them." The young man murmured, "Yes," then handed his reins to his father and followed Yu Cailing’s group as they crunched through the thin snow outside.

Fu Yi was Zhu's husband. Initially, two other guards called Fu Yi "Leader Fu," and Yu Cailing adopted the same title. However, Fu Yi found this nickname uncomfortable and firmly rejected it. When she first met him and saw his close interactions with Fu Zhu, she thought he might be her lover, which intrigued her, only to discover later that he was her official husband. After leaving the courtyard and walking west for about ten minutes[3], they heard babbling streams and lively voices. They saw a small creek about ten meters wide, with clear water showing the bottom. The shallow areas were less than half a meter deep, while the deeper sections reached three or four meters. Despite its size, the stream teemed with fish and shrimp year-round, vital for the villagers’ livelihood. Upstream, village elders led the villagers in building a small shrine to honor mountain, forest, and water deities, praying for divine protection and a bountiful supply of fish, shrimp, fruits, and vegetables.

As soon as they spotted the Water Shrine, A Mei eagerly tugged Yu Cailing toward it. She then used two Coins to buy a bamboo tube of homemade incense from the elderly shaman at the entrance. Afterwards, she bought some fruits from a basket-carrying vendor girl, who couldn’t identify them. When the girl noticed Fu Deng’s good looks, she cheekily tossed him an orange, grinning mischievously. Fu Deng’s face immediately turned deeper red than the fruit. A Mei chuckled, “My brother is nearly betrothed!” Yu Cailing teased, “If you like him, why did you charge us for the fruit?” The girl cheerfully responded, “He may be handsome, but my family still needs to eat.” The villagers, Yu Cailing, and her companions all burst into laughter.

The so-called shrine was basically a large house with two halls stacked one on top of the other. Villagers had seen Yu Cailing’s group several times before and knew she was the Young Lady of a wealthy nearby household, so they easily made way for them to enter. The front hall was thick with incense smoke, where several grotesque, fierce-looking idols stood on a high platform—neither resembling Guanyin nor Jesus. Blood splashes were at the foot of the stone statues, and nearby, a large wooden basin held three or five chickens and ducks, their legs still twitching in death. Yu Cailing shook her head for the nth time. In this era, idols were carved so terrifyingly, and worship methods so primitive and crude—how could devotees lose themselves in reverence and willingly offer money and emotions? She wished to teach these Community Shamans to carve kind-faced idols, decorate them with flowers and goldfish, and include chanting and scripture recitations to boost business and wealth.

But this was clearly her personal opinion. The nearby crowd of women, children, and elders appeared satisfied, kneeling or standing reverently with hands clasped, softly murmuring prayers. A Mei promptly gave her some incense sticks and guided her onto a straw mat to kneel.

Yu Cailing sighed quietly. The last time she worshipped in her previous life was during a hike with her three roommates. The four girls bowed sincerely before the Taoist Trinity statues: Duanxinmei prayed for another full scholarship that semester, Blog Sister wished for the handsome boy from the nearby class to break up with his girlfriend and fall for her instantly, QQ aimed to secure an internship at NZND Company early, and she herself begged that her 11th draft of the Party application would finally be approved—her uncle had promised to buy her a laptop if she succeeded.

After repeated prayers, the four recited “Amitabha [4]” in unison and cheerfully went to play, unaware of the strange expression on an old woman kneeling nearby. Yu Cailing finished her prayers, gently placing the incense sticks with a soft sigh. From this angle, that worship session seemed quite successful—she had died in a heroic act in her past life[5]. If she hadn’t died, wouldn’t she have been able to join the Party[6]? She wondered whether her three roommates’ wishes had been fulfilled. Resentful of her bad luck—after all, even a cooked duck can fly away—she firmly declined A Mei’s offer to go into the inner hall to hear the shaman’s latest prophetic charts.

The last time she saw a shaman in her previous life, he had tried to trick her into performing a ritual to ward off evil spirits. He had probably heard that Yu Cailing was a young lady from a wealthy family who had been cast out by her elders. Pah! Did he take her for a fool? Even if she had money, she’d rather follow the example of her cold-hearted nouveau riche father and spend it on rescuing fallen women than waste it on charlatans. At least rescuing fallen women could contribute to a harmonious society.

“Everyone says that the shaman inside is very effective,” A Mei said, tugging at Yu Cailing’s sleeve. Yu Cailing remained composed. “If he truly was that skilled, wouldn’t the nobles and officials have already hired him? Why would he stay in this small town?” In truth, after her father’s business grew, he began to believe in these mystical practices. But the key was to find someone genuinely talented—otherwise, it’s like putting incense in the wrong burner and praying to the wrong god.

“That’s a difficult question," A Mei responded with certainty. "Mother explained that the Yan Divine Immortal[7], who once examined the Emperor’s face, declined to assume his position and now lives quietly in the countryside, passing his days fishing while wearing a fur coat.”

Fu Deng disagreed. “That Yan Divine Immortal was originally a master of classical studies. Decades ago, his scholarship was already first-rate. Reading faces and interpreting prophecies were just pastimes for him—he wasn’t a professional shaman.”

A Mei had no other choice but to reluctantly agree to her eldest brother. Little A Liang was excited to play in the stream, so Yu Cailing took the siblings by the hand and headed toward the water.

The stream was, as expected, lively with children and teenagers laughing and playing energetically. Their simple playing included skipping flat stones across the water, braving the freezing cold to catch dull little crabs or shrimp, or splashing around in homemade high wooden clogs. Watching A Mei and A Liang playing by the riverbank, Yu Cailing stepped back a few paces and surveyed the scene. Seeing a large, warm, sunlit boulder, she sat down. Fu Deng quietly followed and stood silently beside her.

Yu Cailing observed him. During the few days she spent with the Fu family, she noticed Fu Zhu was a reserved person who seldom spoke unless needed. Of her three children, only Fu Deng looked her age. A’Mei and A’Liang were too young and often gave irrelevant answers, while the older ones stayed silent. Asking too many questions might reveal to Zhu that she was not the real girl.

This new world was a society deeply rooted in superstition. Once she recovered from her illness, Zhu summoned two shamans to sing and dance as offerings to the gods. During a new kitchen construction in the courtyard, she heard that Fu Zhu slaughtered a lamb and laid out several plates of fruit before the Kitchen God. Even when heavy snow fell recently, Fu Zhu offered two jars of winter wine—whether to pray for the snow to cease or to continue remained unclear. Yesterday, as the sun shone and the snow melted, easing the collection of mushrooms and wild greens, Fu Zhu happily slaughtered a pair of live chickens and ducks. Although Yu Cailing had not witnessed any human sacrifices, she dared not ask too many questions. Most sadly, she still did not know the name of the body she now inhabited.

Ahead, loud laughter and shouts of A Mei echoed. It appeared a boy had bullied A Liang, so A Mei grabbed a piece of ice from the grass and stuffed it down the boy's collar as a form of revenge. The boy jumped and yelped like a shrimp, while the other children burst into laughter.

Yu Cailing also smiled, feeling deeply grateful to Fu Zhu and her family.

Although she was dazed from a high fever, heavy migraine, and her body unresponsive, she noticed the grim conditions after her transmigration—hard wooden planks with thin, old cotton padding beneath her, a damp, cold room, and a lingering unpleasant smell. Unable to control her body, she experienced mostly unconscious moments that resembled a borderline coma, with only very brief periods of semi-consciousness.

Everything changed after Fu Zhu’s arrival: her clothes and bedding were replaced with thick, warm, high-quality materials. Fu Zhu also enlisted some village women to laboriously move a large fire pit for heating, which thoroughly warmed the room. After several cleanings, Fu Zhu carefully fumigated every corner with burning mugwort[8], thoroughly inspecting each corner to eliminate even the tiniest insects or ants. She built a stove, stocked it with firewood, and prepared nourishing soups and roasted dishes daily to aid Yu Cailing’s recovery. As a result, her condition steadily improved, although Zhu herself became noticeably thinner from exhaustion.

However, an illness that had already claimed one life was not easily overcome, especially in an era with limited medical knowledge. Even now, despite her cheerful attitude, Yu Cailing remained weak and short of breath, unable to walk normally and only able to ambulate slowly like an elderly person. A few days before this day, to lift her spirits, Fu Zhu arranged for an ox-drawn cart and had two guards escort her and A Mei on a leisurely countryside ride.

Although Yu Cailing wasn’t completely familiar with ancient feudal customs, she knew that servants from wealthy families usually held a higher status. However, the fact that Fu Zhu, a woman so disciplined and detail-oriented, remained in the countryside suggested that something unusual was happening.

Since she had no choice but to adapt to this new world, she might as well make the most of the opportunity. Survival remained her top priority; once she was safe, she could focus on living well. Only after securing her safety could she allow herself to feel the loneliness and melancholy of being far from home with no way back. Yu Cailing was naturally pragmatic and self-centered, with sentimentality being as rare as an endangered species. With her survival still uncertain, she had no time for unnecessary sorrow or nostalgia.

[1] Cheng family characters: The characters list on the Companion tab will be updated with each update, as well as those mentioned in the chapters at the end of each chapter, for better understanding.

Yu Cailing (previous life name)| Cheng Shao Shang (official name, firstname) | Young Mistress (used by servants) | Fourth Young Lady (used by family and nobles) | Niao Niao (nickname).
Fu Zhu | Zhu | Nanny Zhu: Main servant of Yu Cailing (aka Shaoshang). She and her family reside in the countryside, where Shaoshang was sent away from the Cheng main house to the care of Zhu (and her family), where she died at 13. This is also the place Yu Cailing transmigrated into her body. Fu Zhu and her family are very poor, and this explains the minimalist furniture.
A Mei: Zhu's daughter. The translation here is ‘little sister’. A Mei is under 10. Her first name is unknown.
Fu Yi | Leader Fu: Zhu's husband. He is one of the guard leaders of the Cheng family, which has several hundred members. He doesn’t hold a high position, and his role isn’t important in the story.
A Liang | Fu Liang: Youngest Zhu’s son, 7-8 years old.
Fu Deng Eldest son, estimated to be over 15 years old.

[2] Address forms: Adding ‘A’ before a first name (like A Mei) signifies affection, similar to doubling the first name (like Mei Mei). It can be added for children and adults. Additionally, ‘er’ can be added after the first name (like Deng Er), which is also a sign of endearment. Family members of close relatives (friends, elders, and all family members, such as aunts/uncles, etc.) would use these address forms. Refer to the address forms in the top menu for more details.

[3] Ancient China did not measure time in minutes, hours, etc. Instead, it focuses on incense intervals, which can last an hour or half an hour. The system is also not based on specific times like 9 o'clock or 10 o'clock. Instead, time is divided into segments of two hours, each with its own name. To minimize back-and-forth with footnotes and to be consistent with the heroine who transmigrated from modern times, units such as centimeters, meters, kilometers, minutes, and hours, as well as years, will be used in the translation unless mentioning them adds more context to the story; in that case, a footnote will be added.

[4] Amitābha (Sanskrit: अमिताभ) means "Infinite Light" or "Measureless Light," and also "Infinite Life" (Amitāyus), referring to a principal Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism, especially popular in East Asia, who created the Pure Land (Sukhāvatī) where beings can be reborn to attain enlightenment through faith and chanting his name. He embodies limitless wisdom and compassion, dispelling ignorance with his boundless radiance and offering salvation

[5] The author does not specify the exact cause of the heroine's death, leaving it open to interpretation. I believe the old woman used fire in the inner hall as an act of revenge (I see no other explanation), and the heroine chose to save others before herself. Consequently, she was burned or suffocated inside the hall and refused to enter another inner hall after possessing the body. Hey! Who said editors lack imagination? Lol

[6] The Party is the short name for The CCP (Chinese Communist Party), which is China's ruling political party, established in 1921, that has governed the People's Republic of China (PRC) since 1949, holding a monopoly on power and controlling the military, government, and society under Marxism-Leninism adapted as "socialism with Chinese characteristics". It maintains absolute authority over China's armed forces, law enforcement, and public life, aiming for control over people's economic, political, and intellectual spheres.

[7] Another name for the local shaman.

[8] Mugwort refers to several species of aromatic flowering plants in the Artemisia genus, particularly Artemisia vulgaris. The meaning is rooted in its historical uses across cultures, particularly as a medicinal herb, a culinary flavoring, and for its spiritual and protective properties.

The name "mugwort" has a few potential origins:

Insect Repellent: A common theory is that "mug" comes from the Old English word mucg- or moughte, meaning "moth" or "midge," due to the plant's use in repelling insects.
Flavoring Agent: Another folk etymology suggests it comes from its use in flavoring drinks. Before hops became standard, mugwort was a common ingredient in gruit ales, and the beverage was consumed from mugs ("mug") and the plant a "wort" (meaning "plant" or "root").
Goddess Reference: The botanical name Artemisia is derived from Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon, the hunt, and women, reflecting the plant's long association with feminine health and cycles.

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