After finishing my inspection of the space dimension, I poured myself a cup of spiritual water.
The liquid shimmered faintly in the light before I drank it down. Warmth spread through my body almost instantly—subtle but unmistakable. Clean. Strengthening.
I followed it with a small bowl of vanilla yogurt topped with sliced bananas. It felt strangely luxurious in a house like this.
Then I stood up.
The moment I did, I realized something was wrong.
My balance was off.
Heavy.
I looked down and froze.
My belly was already noticeably swollen.
Sun Mingzhe and Cao Chenxi had slept together about nine weeks ago. That meant I should only be around two months pregnant—barely out of the first trimester.
And yet I was showing far more than I should be.
I placed a hand over my abdomen, fingers splayed gently across the curve.
The spiritual water had sharpened my senses. I could feel… something. Not movement exactly, but presence. Strong.
I made a mental note to check later using the portable ultrasound machine in my space.
I had a distinct feeling I wasn't carrying just one child.
But that was a problem for later.
Right now, I desperately needed a bath.
It wasn't until I stood fully upright that I truly registered how filthy this body was.
My long black hair hung down my back in greasy, tangled ropes. When I ran my fingers through it, they snagged almost immediately. Worse—my scalp crawled.
Lice.
My skin was caked in so much dirt that it looked at least two shades darker than it should have been. When I raised my arm to inspect it, the smell hit me square in the face.
Sweat. Old grime. Neglect.
I grimaced.
There was no way I was thinking clearly in this state.
I retrieved a small wooden bathtub and toiletries from my space, placing them carefully in the center of the room. After filling the tub with regular water, I added a single drop of spiritual water.
The effect was immediate. The water shimmered faintly before settling, purified.
I undressed quickly and stepped in.
The first thing I tackled was my hair.
It was a disaster.
It took nearly thirty minutes just to work my fingers through the worst of the knots. More than once, I was tempted to shave it all off.
Unfortunately, that wasn't an option.
In this world, long hair was considered a sign of filial piety. Hair was viewed as a precious gift from one's parents—something that should never be cut lightly.
Shaving it would raise questions.
And I did not need attention right now.
So I endured.
I worked methodically, separating strands, combing from the bottom up. Lice fell into the water in disturbing numbers. The sight made my stomach churn.
Once it was finally detangled, I applied lice-killing shampoo, scrubbing thoroughly into my scalp. I rinsed and repeated, then washed again with unscented shampoo and conditioner.
By the time I finished, nearly an hour had passed.
Then I moved on to the rest of my body.
Another hour.
I tried to hurry—uncertain when Cao Chenxi or the children might return—but the dirt clung stubbornly to my skin. I scrubbed until my arms ached. The water turned murky within minutes.
I had to drain and refill the tub five times.
Five.
By the end, my skin was pink from friction, but clean.
Truly clean.
When I finally stepped out and dried myself, I brought a mirror out of the space to look at my reflection.
For the first time, I saw Sun Mingzhe clearly.
Delicate features. Pale skin now that the grime was gone. Large dark eyes framed by long lashes. A face that leaned more toward gentle beauty than masculinity.
And beneath it all—
Strength.
This body had been starved and abused, but it wasn't beyond saving.
I placed a hand over my rounded belly again.
"You picked the wrong time to die," I murmured softly to the original Mingzhe. "But I'll make sure we survive."
Outside, faint voices drifted toward the house.
Footsteps.
It seemed my time alone was over.