"Hello fellow villagers, I am Li Mu, also known as Mu Zi Li or Shui Mu Mu. I come from Kyoto and graduated from Yenching University with a degree in archaeology."

Do you know what archaeology is? It's studying your ancestors for eighteen generations, whether there were any kings or nobles among them, whether there were any famous people, where they were buried, and what influence they had on their descendants.

I've noticed that wherever great figures emerge, they are invariably born in places with excellent feng shui, nestled between mountains and water.

Ancient emperors, like Zhu Yuanzhang, started as beggars but later became emperors. Why? Because of good feng shui.

Leaving aside men, let's talk about Wu Zetian, the first female emperor in ancient China. Who would have known she would become an empress when she was born? The famous female general Hua Mulan was also a heroine among women.

The reason I came here is because I was attracted by the feng shui of your village. Looking at the geographical location of Yujia Village, it is backed by mountains, surrounded by water on the side, and covered with lush forests. From a distance, it looks like a hidden paradise on earth. Moreover, it is located halfway up the mountain, so it is warm in winter and cool in summer. It is a place that produces beautiful women, and great figures will surely emerge from it in the future.

"I am not very talented, but I am willing to pay to pave the way for this future important person. The first condition is that he/she receives compulsory education, that is, goes to school. Just think about it, if this important person cannot appear on time because of your parents' reasons, what a huge loss that would be. Our Yu Family Village still depends on this important person to get rich."

Well, with just a few words, he completely integrated himself into the village. The villagers didn't believe in the idea that hard work guarantees success or that education is the only way out; they preferred to believe in deities, thinking that anyone who succeeded must have had good fortune from their ancestors' graves or divine protection. Li Mu had struck a chord deep within the villagers' hearts, and many were eager to try their luck. Of course, all of this depended on money!

"So how much are you willing to pay for this important person?"

A curious villager asked a question, and a murmur rippled through the crowd before everyone turned to look at Li Mu with great interest.

Li Mu smiled outwardly, but inwardly he was so angry he wanted to curse: A bunch of pigs, all they care about is money. I should have just said money directly instead of wasting my breath.

Xiang Wan watched all of this silently, her face expressionless.

"Xiao Qi, why does this Li Mu seem like a charlatan?"

"Nonsense, who's going to listen to or understand this fancy language?"

Indeed, without education, one's intellectual level cannot keep up. Alas, I am the only one sober while everyone else is drunk; it is truly lonely.

"You've lived through several worlds already, where's your face?"

The system accidentally revealed its true feelings, and Xiang Wan's face instantly darkened.

"Birds of a feather flock together, and people are grouped by their kind, don't you know that?"

"Of course I know. You think I'm... Fine, you don't even know how to swear anymore. This system refuses to communicate with you, hmph!"

"What a childish brat," Xiang Wan thought to herself.

Most parents signed a commitment letter to send their daughters to school and received a sponsorship fee from Li Mu for sending their children to school for the year.

When it was Xiang Wan's turn, she signed the form and was about to collect her sponsorship fee when Yu Dazhuang appeared in front of her and snatched the money away.

"Go on your way, or I'll beat you to death if you don't get this money!"

Yu Dazhuang made a harsh statement and then turned and left.

Xiang Wan knew this guy wouldn't do it for free, so she didn't care. Here, there was nowhere to spend money, and she had to be careful not to get caught by Yu Dazhuang. It was better to spend money and have peace of mind, since her biggest opponent wasn't him.

"May I have your name?"

Li Mu spoke to Xiang Wan in a soft, gentle voice, his attitude so good it was almost unsettling.

Being treated so gently, especially after being scolded by the original owner's father, would move any ordinary person.

Knowing Li Mu's true colors, Xiang Wan felt disgusted, but she had to pretend to be very moved, switching into her drama queen mode.

"My name is Yu Xiangwan, and I'm eight years old. Big brother, can I really go to school now?"

With such expectant eyes, Li Mu saw nothing more than a little lamb.

"Of course, not only can you go to school, but if you get good grades, you can also receive gifts."

Xiang Wan seemed to see Li Mu's big tail wagging behind him.

"Great! I love going to school. Don't worry, big brother, I will study hard and try to get lots and lots of gifts so I can give them to my family."

With an innocent look on her face and eyes sparkling like stars, Xiang Wan looked incredibly easy to bully.

Li Mu was drawn to her large eyes, and his voice became even softer.

"Xiang Wan, you were just scolded by your father, don't you hate him?"

"He is my father. He works very hard every day. He gets irritable when he's tired, but I know he does it all for our family. I don't hate him."

I can do lots and lots of chores to help lighten Dad's burden, and that would be great.

Li Mu's gaze grew increasingly intense as he looked at Xiang Wan. He raised his hand slightly, then lowered it, finally clenching his fist before slowly relaxing it.

"Sweetie, you're a good child. But at your age, you should be studying hard at school, not wasting your time on chores every day. If your teacher and parents suggested that you live at school and keep the teacher company, would you be willing?"

Boarding school? The original owner didn't have that privilege back then, and still got ruined. Living at school instead of at home would actually make things much easier.

"Really? But I also have to cook and do laundry for my family. It might not be very convenient if I live at school."

Xiang Wan looked somewhat embarrassed, but inside she was overjoyed: Finally, I don't have to do hard labor anymore! Here comes the big bad wolf!

Li Mu thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry, the teacher is here."

"…good!"

The truth is, after Xiang Wan decided to live at school, several other families decided to let their children board: with free meals and rooms, it would be foolish not to go.

Therefore, those who are greedy for small gains often pay a higher price. However, if those things hadn't been exposed later, these dirty deals would probably have been buried forever in the hearts of these girls, becoming an insurmountable obstacle in their minds.

Xiang Wan packed a few clothes and went out. Yu Xiaoguang secretly followed her all the way.

"Yu Xiaoguang, what are you doing following me?"

The child scratched his head a little shyly and asked, "Sister, will you come back?"

"It's not like you're going to die, why won't you come back?" Xiang Wan retorted, then, seeing that Yu Xiaoguang's face was a little red, teased, "If you miss me, come to the school, but you're not allowed in if there's no food."

"Hmph, all you know is eating."

Yu Xiaoguang turned around and skipped away.

Xiang Wan chuckled: This awkward kid is actually quite cute.