A battered jeep stood outside the Sharma house, its back already loaded with baskets of vegetables.
Tomatoes.
Eggplants.
Green chilies.
Potatoes.
The smell of fresh produce filled the air.
Arjun Sharma slammed the jeep door shut and wiped his hands on a cloth.
“Alright! That’s the last basket.”
Sakshi Sharma stood beside the cart, checking everything one last time.
“Did you bring the weighing scale?”
“Yes.”
“And the cloth bags?”
“Yes.”
“And the—”
Arjun sighed.
“Sakshi, I’ve been going to the market for twenty years.”
“That’s exactly why I check,” she replied sharply.
Inside the back seat, Ananda Sharma stretched slightly, adjusting to the unfamiliar weight of this new body. Zhuqing’s mind was calm, but the senses of the young village girl still lingered faintly.
She leaned her head lightly against the window, appearing half-asleep.
But inside her mind, the system interface glowed faintly.
The assistant spoke.
[Hey Host, This village environment is quite good.]
[Although the average income level is lower, agricultural supply potential is high.]
Zhuqing replied lazily.
“Not surprising.”
The engine started with a rough cough.
The jeep rolled forward onto the dirt road leading out of the village.
Fields stretched on both sides.
Green crops swayed in the early morning breeze.
Sakshi began talking immediately.
“I heard the city market raised tomato prices again.”
Arjun snorted.
“Raised for them, lowered for us.”
“Those traders always try to cheat villagers.”
“Last week one of them tried telling me our chilies were low quality.”
Sakshi scoffed loudly.
“And you believed him?”
“I didn’t,” Arjun said.
“I just sold them to the stall next to his and made him look stupid.”
Sakshi nodded approvingly.
“That’s how you deal with them.”
From the back seat, Zhuqing listened quietly.
The assistant whispered in her mind.
[Your mother appears very capable.]
[Strong personality.]
[Household leadership personality is high.]
Zhuqing smiled faintly.
“That’s obvious.”
The system continued.
[Your father also appears physically impressive.]
[Despite being the father of three grown children.]
Zhuqing blinked.
“…System.”
[Yes, Host?]
“You’re analyzing his looks now?”
The assistant coughed but tried to answered calmly. although its excited voice betrayed it.
[Observational detail improves mission success.]
Zhuqing smiled said nothing further.
Outside the jeep window, the road gradually changed from dirt to rough asphalt.
The city appeared slowly in the distance.
Buildings.
Traffic.
Noise.
Arjun tapped the steering wheel.
“We’ll reach the market in ten minutes.”
City Market
The city vegetable market was already alive.
Sweat, spices, and diesel fumes mixed together in the crowded air.
Vendors shouted prices.
Rickshaws rattled across the street.
Customers pushed through narrow lanes between stalls.
The smell of spices, vegetables, and dust mixed together in the hot air.
Arjun parked the jeep beside a row of other farmers.
“Let’s unload.”
The family moved quickly.
Sakshi arranged the vegetables neatly on their stall.
Tomatoes in one basket.
Potatoes in another.
Chilies carefully stacked in rows.
Arjun set up the weighing scale.
Ananda sat beside the stall counting change and stacking coins neatly into small piles.
Customers began arriving almost immediately.
A middle-aged woman carrying a cloth shopping bag stopped in front of their stall.
She picked up a tomato and inspected it carefully.
“How much for the tomatoes?”
“Five rupees per kilo,” Sakshi replied calmly.
The woman frowned immediately.
“Five? That’s too expensive! The stall near the entrance is selling them for four.”
Sakshi didn’t even look up from arranging the vegetables.
“Then you should buy them there.”
The woman hesitated.
“…But yours look fresher.”
Sakshi finally met her eyes and smiled faintly.
“Exactly.”
The woman sighed dramatically.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
“Fine. Four and a half.”
Sakshi shook her head.
“Five.”
The woman groaned.
“You villagers are becoming greedy.”
“Only when city customers try to bargain too much.”
The woman laughed reluctantly.
“…Fine. Give me two kilos.”
Sakshi weighed them quickly and dropped the tomatoes into the woman’s bag.
“Ten rupees.”
The woman handed over the money and left muttering.
“Still cheaper than the supermarket…”
A young man stepped forward next.
He pointed at the green chilies.
“How much for these?”
“Eight rupees per kilo,” Sakshi replied.
The man whistled.
“Eight? Are they gold?”
Arjun chuckled beside her.
“Try one. If it burns your tongue, you’ll know why.”
The man picked up a chili and snapped it in half.
The strong spicy smell filled the air.
He raised his eyebrows.
“…Alright, these are good.”
“But still too expensive.”
“Six.”
Sakshi didn’t even respond.
She simply turned to another customer behind him.
“Next!”
“Hey!” the man protested.
“Alright, alright. Seven.”
Sakshi paused.
“Seven and a half.”
The man stared at her.
“You’re raising the price now?”
“Eight rupees,” Sakshi said calmly. “Or you’re wasting both of our time.”
The man burst out laughing.
“You’re quite something, Auntie.”
“Seven and a half then.”
He bought a kilo and walked away shaking his head.
A third customer approached — an older man wearing glasses.
He looked like a restaurant buyer.
His eyes moved across the stall carefully.
“How much for the potatoes?”
“Three rupees per kilo.”
“How many kilos do you have?”
“Thirty.”
The man crossed his arms thoughtfully.
“If I buy all of them, give them to me for two and a half.”
Sakshi immediately shook her head.
“Two and three quarters.”
The man frowned.
“That’s still too high.”
“You’re buying in bulk,” Sakshi replied.
“You’ll sell them for double anyway.”
The man laughed.
“You know the business well.”
Arjun leaned forward slightly.
“Three rupees per kilo.”
“But we’ll throw in two extra kilos free.”
The man calculated quickly.
“…Deal.”
They shook hands.
As Arjun and Sakshi loaded the sacks into the man’s cart, the system quietly spoke in Zhuqing’s mind.
[Your parents demonstrate strong instinct for market pricing.]
Zhuqing watched them silently.
Yes.
They were already natural businessmen.
They simply didn’t realize it yet.
The assistant spoke again.
[City markets show significantly higher profit margins compared to village sales.]
[Your parents could expand this operation with increased supply.]
Zhuqing mentally noted the information.
The Sharma family’s future poultry business flashed through her memory.
Chicken farms.
Distribution networks.
Regional sales.
The foundation had started exactly here.
Small vegetable sales.
Hard work.
And careful growth.
Her eyes moved across the busy market.
“How should I help accelerate it?”
The assistant responded immediately.
[Host your intervention may not seem okay during this period. with your female student status many things get blocked. it's better to study and win scholarships or prizes]
Zhuqing shook her head slightly.
She looked at her hands.
Right now, she was just a village student.
But education…
Education could change the situation.
If she entered a good college, it would bring prestige to the family.
Villagers respected education.
City connections could appear naturally.
She murmured to herself.
“…College first.”
In this era, education was the fastest way to change a family's destiny.
Visiting Vikram
By afternoon, the vegetables were mostly sold.
Arjun wiped sweat from his forehead.
“Good sales today.”
Sakshi nodded.
“We should go see Vikram before heading back.”
They drove across the city toward a small residential area.
Vikram Sharma’s house was modest but neat.
When the door opened, Lakshmi appeared.
Her face immediately brightened.
“Attamma! maamayya! You came!”
She rushed forward warmly.
Lakshmi hugged Sakshi tightly.
Then she turned toward Ananda.
“Ananda! You’ve grown even taller!”
She pulled her inside affectionately.
The house smelled of fresh tea.
Vikram Sharma stepped out from the inner room.
Tall, broad-shouldered, with thick eyebrows and sharp eyes that seemed to notice everything.
He smiled when he saw the family.
“Father, Mother. The market must have been busy today.”
The assistant whispered in Zhuqing’s mind.
[hey host, this Vikram Sharma looks quite honest with his thick eyebrows and big eyes.]
[Personality assessment: intelligent and decisive.]
[Facial structure suggests strategic thinking.]
Zhuqing studied him quietly.
Yes.
This man looked honest.
But there was something sharp behind those eyes.
Cunning.
Good.
The assistant continued.
[Advantageous ally.]
Then the system shifted focus.
[hey host, your sister in law, Lakshmi has a Gentle personality.]
[Likely emotional support of the family unit.]
A brief pause followed.
[Medical observation: mild hormonal imbalance detected.]
[Potential fertility complications possible.]
Zhuqing blinked slightly.
“…You’re doing medical scans now?”
[Basic biological analysis only.]
Interesting.
Lakshmi poured tea for everyone.
Then she turned to Ananda.
“So tell me, Ananda.”
“What are your plans?”
“Do you want to study further?”
“If you want, Vikram can help you find a job here in the city.”
Zhuqing answered politely.
“I want to go to college.”
Everyone looked slightly surprised.
Lakshmi smiled warmly.
“That’s wonderful. have you thought about which college?"
"A relative in my father's village got into a regular BA/BSc/BCom college , they still have some study materials i will help you get it"
while Vikram added "its better to ask village chief more, their son went to Hyderabad to work. u will get some help during the exam time"
The conversation soon turned toward the second son.
Sundar Sharma.
Sakshi sighed.
“That boy…”
Arjun shook his head.
“Still running around with cricket bats.”
Lakshmi laughed softly.
“He’s talented though.”
Arjun snorted.
“Talented doesn’t feed families.”
“Village boys should learn real work.”
Sakshi turned to Vikram.
“You’re the elder brother.”
“Talk to him.”
“Convince him to be practical.”
Vikram rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“I’ll try.”
Inside Zhuqing’s mind, the assistant spoke.
[Host doesn't the cricket players get paid a lot ? Although he is a pain in the ass according to the world plot his Athletic potential is extremely high.]
"You’re probably thinking about modern professional cricket contracts. but right now in this time period no job pays that high. for a famer's family any stable income is good that him going out all day long to play."
[Information noted host .]
Zhuqing nodded slightly.
“He’s the key point.”
If Sundar married early…
Sanjana would never have the opportunity to trap him.
The assistant suggested immediately.
[Host should aim for high academic ranking.]
[Reputation attracts high-quality marriage proposals.]
Zhuqing answered calmly.
“That depends.”
“We still don’t know which timeline Sanjana is in.”
“If this is before her rebirth…”
“Then we have time.”
She added thoughtfully.
“But getting first rank is still useful.”
The Supply Market
Later in the afternoon, Lakshmi took Ananda out to walk through a nearby supply market.
The place was far larger than the vegetable market.
Huge warehouses.
Transport trucks.
Laborers carrying sacks.
Wealthy traders discussing contracts.
Zhuqing watched everything carefully.
Connections.
Distribution.
Money.
This was where real business happened.
And then—
The system suddenly spoke.
[Host.]
[Target detected.]
Zhuqing’s eyes shifted.
Across the market street stood a young woman.
Her makeup was heavier than most village girls wore, and her laughter carried across the street.
Her clothes were slightly more fashionable than the other village girls — a colorful salwar with decorative bangles that chimed whenever she moved her hands.
She stood with a group of city boys near a tea stall, laughing louder than necessary.
The girl tilted her head playfully.
“So where do people go in this city for fun?” she asked.
One of the boys chuckled.
“Fun?”
“You mean parties?”
“Yes!” she said quickly, eyes lighting up. “You must have clubs here, right? Or big hotels where rich people gather?”
Another boy raised an eyebrow.
“You’re not from the city, are you?”
Sanjana laughed lightly and brushed her hair back.
“No, but that won’t be the case forever.”
“I’m planning to move here someday.”
“Village life is too small for me.”
The boys exchanged amused looks.
One of them smirked.
“Ambitious.”
“Of course,” Sanjana replied immediately.
“Why should someone stay poor if they don’t have to?”
She leaned slightly closer to them, lowering her voice in what she probably believed was a charming tone.
“People with money live very differently, don’t they?”
“Luxury houses. Cars. Big parties.”
“That kind of life is the real life.”
The assistant spoke in Zhuqing’s mind.
[Target confirmed.]
[Reborn individual: Sanjana Saha.]
Zhuqing watched quietly.
Sanjana laughed again, placing a hand lightly on one boy’s arm.
“So tell me,” she said sweetly, “which places do rich people go to here?”
The boy laughed.
“Why? Planning to catch a rich husband?”
Sanjana didn’t even deny it.
“Why not?”
“If you’re going to marry, you should marry well.”
The boys burst into laughter.
The assistant commented again.
[Behavior analysis: strong fixation on wealth and social status.]
Another short pause.
[Social strategy: direct flattery and proximity seeking.]
[Subtlety level: extremely low.]
Zhuqing almost smiled.
The system continued.
[Host, this individual demonstrates poor long-term planning.]
[Short-term attraction tactics appear to be her primary strategy.]
Another glance toward the girl.
Sanjana was now talking excitedly again.
“City life must be amazing.”
“Better clothes, better food, better everything.”
“Village people don’t understand how the world really works.”
The assistant spoke again, tone slightly cooler.
[Psychological assessment: vanity-driven personality.]
[Motivational structure heavily dependent on external validation.]
A pause.
Then the assistant added quietly:
[Personal system opinion: not recommended.]
Zhuqing’s lips curved slightly.
“Yes.”
“I noticed.”
She observed Sanjana a moment longer.
There was no calculation in her behavior.
No restraint.
Just impatience and shallow ambition.
Someone who wanted luxury immediately.
Not someone who had already experienced multiple lifetimes.
Zhuqing turned away calmly.
“So this is before the rebirth cycle.”
Which meant Sanjana still believed she could get rich city people. and Sharma family safe for the time being.
Good.
Very good.
Because if Sanjana had not yet begun her cycle of rebirths—
Then Zhuqing had far more time to prepare.
And far more ways to change the story.
Zhuqing watched silently.
Sanjana laughed loudly again, trying too hard to impress the boys.
Zhuqing turned away calmly.
“We need to move faster.”
The assistant asked curiously.
[Faster?]
Zhuqing replied simply.
“Sundar needs to marry early.”
“And I need to enter a top engineering institute.”
The assistant blinked metaphorically.
[That escalated quickly.]
Zhuqing smiled faintly.
“If I enter an REC or NIT…”
“Good families will approach ours.”
“And Sundar will get a proper match.”
The assistant immediately started flattering.
[Host strategy is good. Host is mighty]
Evening Return
The sun was setting when the jeep left the city.
The road back to Nannur stretched quietly across the fields.
Inside the vehicle, Sakshi counted the day’s earnings.
“Good profits today.”
Arjun nodded.
“We should come more often.”
After a moment, he looked back at Ananda.
“So.”
“You said you want to go to college?”
Zhuqing answered calmly.
“Yes.”
“What kind of college?”
“i haven't decided yet. i plan to get more information from village chief before deciding.”
Sakshi said "don't go empty handed. I will pack some sugar take it with you"
Then the assistant whispered slowly.
[Host…will taking sugar be enough?. will the village chief think we don't value him? we have a lot of system point use can try to use the mall]
Zhuqing looked out the window at the darkening sky.
“Sugar is enough.”
“In villages, respect matters more than expensive gifts.”
The road back to Nannur village stretched quietly beneath the evening sky.
Zhuqing leaned back quietly.
There was a lot to change in this world.
Info for readers
Father-in-law : maamayya
Mother-in-law :Attamma
Class 10 (SSC) or Class 12 (HSC/PUC) marks.
-
Engineering: IITs used the early form of the JEE (established 1961). Some state engineering colleges had their own tests.
-
Medicine: Many medical colleges used interviews + marks; a few states had entrance exams.
-
Law, arts, commerce: No entrance tests—purely marks-based.