Chapter 1: A Fateful Journey’s End, A Girl’s Awakening

Having washed his face with a hot, soaked cloth, Hao Yang then began to pack his belongings.

His family planned a trip for the New Year, and he eagerly anticipated the holiday excursion.

However, he now needed to pack his things. He had played games for far too long yesterday, completely forgetting about his packing duties.

“Hao Yang, hurry!” a slightly urgent voice called out. “Your father is already downstairs, waiting for us in the car.”

“I’ll be right there, Mom,” Hao Yang replied, tucking his phone into his pocket. He then grabbed his luggage and exited the room.

Hao Yang’s mother stood by the main door, patiently waiting for him.

The two of them took the elevator down to the underground parking lot.

Hao Yang immediately spotted the familiar black sedan. He pulled his suitcase, opened the car’s trunk, and stowed his luggage inside.

His mother settled into the front passenger seat. Hao Yang opened the rear door and quickly slid onto the back seat.

His father occupied the driver’s seat. Given that highway tolls were waived for the seven days of the New Year holiday, his father had opted for a road trip.

“Hao Hao, next time, be mindful of your gaming time,” his father lectured, guiding the car out of the parking lot. “Forgetting the time completely while playing games simply won’t do.”

“Mm, got it,” Hao Yang mumbled, pulling out his phone and glancing at the messages on the screen. His response was clearly perfunctory.

“Just look at yourself,” his mother chimed in, unable to resist lecturing as well. “On holiday, all you do is play games. I’m almost too exasperated to even scold you.”

“Mm, got it,” Hao Yang repeated, his tone still utterly dismissive.

During middle school, he had poured his heart and soul into studying to gain admission to a prestigious local high school. Life there, however, felt less like education and more like forced labor.

His days began at 6:30 AM, followed by breakfast and personal hygiene. Morning self-study commenced around 7:20 AM, with formal classes starting at 8:00 AM and running until noon. Lunch and a brief nap followed before afternoon classes resumed promptly at 2:00 PM.

Classes concluded at 6:00 PM, followed by dinner and a short respite. However, at 7:00 PM, three more evening self-study sessions began, finally allowing him to return to the dormitory at 9:30 PM. Even then, true rest was elusive, as teachers assigned mountains of homework that absolutely had to be finished before bed. Often, whether he could even sleep by 11:00 PM remained uncertain.

Each day was a relentless repetition of this regimen: no phones, no entertainment, even bathroom breaks were strictly timed. There was no freedom whatsoever; it truly felt like the life of a convict.

Despite his demanding schedule, Hao Yang’s grades were commendable. Since he couldn’t use his phone at all during school, he would play games with a vengeance during his holidays at home. His parents understood the immense pressure he was under, so their criticisms about his phone usage were usually brief and mild.

Bored, Hao Yang scrolled through today’s headlines on his phone when a particular news item captured his attention.

[Due to the surge in travel during the Spring Festival, highway traffic has intensified, leading to a significant increase in accident rates. Drivers are urged to exercise caution. As the editor advises: ‘Though roads may number a thousand, safety must always come first. Drive without care, and your loved ones will shed tears.’]

Reading this news while seated in the car, Hao Yang’s eyelids twitched. A sense of foreboding settled over him.

Hao Yang glanced out the car window, realizing their family car was already on the highway.

“Dad, please drive steadily,” Hao Yang finally vocalized, expressing his underlying worry. “Let’s not get into an accident.”

“It’s the New Year, and you, boy, certainly know how to jinx things,” his father retorted. “Don’t you know your old man is the steadiest driver on the road?”

Hao Yang fell silent after his father’s words. He conceded that his father was indeed a steady driver, making the likelihood of an accident incredibly slim. He had, perhaps, been overly anxious.

Yet, no sooner had this thought crossed his mind than a massive truck, driving parallel to their family car, suddenly lost control. Its entire bulk veered and tilted towards them.

The truck’s cargo slammed into their private car, instantly flattening it like a sheet of paper.

Hao Yang died.

He was sixteen years old.

Hao Yang only felt a sudden crushing pressure before losing consciousness. Now, as his awareness slowly returned, she gently opened her eyes. She immediately realized she was no longer in her family’s car. A careful look around revealed her current location: inside a dilapidated van.

A peculiar sensation clung to her, an oddness she couldn’t quite articulate.

Hao Yang pushed open the van’s rickety door and leapt out.

It was then that she noticed something profoundly wrong. When had she become so short? She’d had to *jump* to get out of the van. And why was she even in a van? Where were her parents?

‘Oh, my phone— no, this voice…’ Hao Yang’s first instinct was to contact her parents with her phone. However, after inadvertently speaking a few words, she noticed something peculiar about her voice. It was soft and childish, almost adorable, but undeniably the voice of a young girl.

Her attention then shifted to her hands. When had they become so small? Despite being incredibly dirty, their youthful tenderness was unmistakable.

A sudden shiver ran through Hao Yang, as a biting gust of wind swept past. She quickly retreated back into the van. Though dilapidated, the vehicle offered some meager protection against the chill, and it felt considerably warmer inside.

It was only then that Hao Yang began a thorough examination of her body. Everything felt wrong: the alien surroundings, the unfamiliar tactile sensations, the peculiar visual perspective, and the grimy clothes clinging to her.

After a thorough examination, Hao Yang was dumbfounded.

She had become a girl.

A genuine, undeniable girl.

Hao Yang clutched her head, utterly bewildered by what had transpired. All she recalled was the family road trip, a sudden jolt of pain, and then unconsciousness. What had occurred in between, and how she had transformed into this, remained a complete mystery.

Had aliens subjected her to some bizarre human modification? Or had she perhaps transmigrated to another world? Yet, the sight of the decrepit van firmly grounded her, suggesting such fantastical notions were nothing more than a daydream.

Suddenly, a searing, tearing pain erupted in her head. She cried out, clutching her skull, and writhed in agony on the van’s seat.

Her mind was suddenly flooded with images, with memories that were not originally her own. Gradually, the throbbing in her head subsided, leaving behind a collection of new recollections.

As she slowly began to untangle these new memories, she understood. This body was not her original one; it belonged to a young girl.

Furthermore, this young girl’s life had been incredibly difficult; she had been living as a homeless wanderer.

According to the fragmented memories she was piecing together, it appeared this little girl had tragically frozen to death in yesterday’s biting cold.