[HBU] Chapter 3

 The old Jiang family residence was not a good house. Maybe decades ago, it was considered decent, but after so many years, it had become old and dilapidated. Otherwise, Jiang Yu’s eldest and second uncles wouldn’t have let her stay there.

Jiang Yu took out the key from her pocket and opened the door. Though the courtyard was old, it was kept clean and lush greenery filled the space, with seasonal fruits and vegetables growing.

Perhaps because she was an art student, even when planting vegetables, Jiang Yu arranged them with a sense of aesthetics. The mix of red and green colours made the place look more like a garden than a vegetable patch.

Setting down the things in her arms, Jiang Yu glanced around, finding everything both familiar and strange.

Suddenly, there was a noise in the courtyard. Jiang Yu stepped outside and saw a plump woman standing there, accompanied by a middle-aged man. It was her eldest uncle and aunt.

“...Uncle, Aunt,” Jiang Yu greeted them.

Her uncle cleared his throat and said, “You’re back from school?”

As soon as he finished speaking, his wife pinched him. They had come for business, not to act like real family.

Jiang Yu lowered her gaze slightly, observing everything but saying nothing.

Her aunt, not bothering with pleasantries, said bluntly, “You know very well that you’re not really a member of the Jiang family, just an orphan your grandmother picked up. She pitied you and secretly transferred the family house to your name, but this house belongs to the Jiang family. It has nothing to do with you. If you have any shame, you’ll sign this transfer agreement.”

Her words were harsh, completely tearing off any pretense. Her uncle tugged at her hand, feeling she had gone too far.

She glared at her husband and said, “That’s a million yuan! She’s not even a real Jiang family member—why should we give her a share? With that money, Meizi can go abroad to study piano!”

Meizi was their daughter, one year older than Jiang Yu. She had just graduated high school and received an admission letter from a prestigious music university in Country G. But studying abroad was expensive and her aunt had been worrying about it.

Now, with the government’s decision to develop Jiangshan Village, every household was receiving compensation—including Jiang Yu. The family house, listed under her name, was valued at a million yuan. Who wouldn’t be tempted by such a sum?

Jiang Yu smiled slightly and looked at her uncle. “I have always been grateful that Grandma took me in and I never intended to take anything from the Jiang family…”

Turning her gaze to the old house before her, a hint of nostalgia flickered across her face. “This house belongs to the Jiang family. Naturally, I won’t keep it. You don’t have to worry—I’ll sign.”

Her uncle and aunt were both stunned.

As if afraid she would change her mind, her aunt quickly handed over the transfer agreement.

Without hesitation, Jiang Yu picked up the pen and signed her name. From this moment on, she had no ties to the Jiang family.

Holding the contract, her aunt couldn’t hide her delight, but her uncle looked somewhat regretful.

“I’m sorry…” he sighed.

Although she wasn’t his biological niece, he had watched Jiang Yu grow up. How could he have no feelings for her? He still remembered how, when she first learned to speak, she would cling to his leg and call him “Uncle” in her soft little voice. She had been so lovable.

And now, he had cruelly cast her out of the Jiang family.

His wife, however, quickly wiped the smile from her face and said, “Jiang Yu, don’t think I’m heartless, but life is just too hard without money… People are selfish.”

The Jiang family was poor. In fact, the entire Jiangshan Village was poor.

Jiang Yu had never resented her uncles. When she was younger, they had truly cared for her. But in the end, she was not a real Jiang family member—how could she expect them to love her as they would their own?

“I’ll move out tomorrow,” Jiang Yu said.

Her uncle wanted to say something, but at this point, any words would seem insincere. He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.

After sending her uncle and aunt away, Jiang Yu went to the kitchen and made herself a simple bowl of noodles. She had little appetite, her mind cluttered with thoughts, yet she still finished the meal.

After washing the dishes, she counted the money left in the house. Her grandmother had left her some savings—just over ten thousand yuan. Over the years, Jiang Yu had taken on part-time jobs during school breaks, so she hadn’t needed to spend much of it. She still had a little over ten thousand left.

Tomorrow, she would go to the city to rent an apartment. But with so little money, she wouldn’t be able to afford anything decent. She needed to start making money quickly—otherwise, she’d soon be broke.

With countless thoughts swirling in her head, Jiang Yu unknowingly drifted off to sleep. This was the first day she had returned to thirteen years ago and just like that, it passed in a blur.

The next morning, looking at her young and familiar face in the mirror, Jiang Yu couldn’t help but sigh—so it really wasn’t a dream.

Jiangshan Village was a beautiful place, nestled against the mountains with lush greenery and flowing rivers. In the morning, mist curled around the peaks, making it look like a paradise on earth.

Taking one last look at the village, Jiang Yu picked up her few belongings and left.

The city was bustling and even the slightly better apartments were outrageously expensive—at least, for Jiang Yu in her current situation, those prices were simply unattainable.

After dropping off her things at the school’s security office, she spent the whole day wandering the city in search of a place to stay, but found nothing suitable.

Sitting in an air-conditioned noodle shop, she ate a bowl of noodles before heading next door to a mobile phone store. She spent 1,000 yuan on a smartphone, got a SIM card and registered a Weibo account.

[A Fleeting Dream].

That was the name she chose. Right now, everything felt like a dream to her—who knew if she’d wake up one day?

"Accepting commissions, 3,000 per piece!"

She hesitated over the price but ultimately settled on 3,000 yuan. A clear and firm rate. In her past life, her paintings had sold for millions, but that was thirteen years in the future. Right now, she was a nobody. It was likely no one would even commission her at this price.

But she refused to undervalue herself.

Biting into an old-fashioned popsicle, she sighed and wiped the sweat from her face.

She had taken commissions before, even drawn manhua to support herself. It was through these jobs that she had earned her tuition and eventually become the renowned artist Jiang Yu.

She needed to get sample pieces done as soon as possible—without them, who would trust her enough to commission her?

After searching tirelessly, she finally found a suitable apartment: 4,000 yuan per month with a 2,000 yuan deposit. She only had enough to afford two months' rent. That meant she needed to start earning at least 4,000 yuan per month immediately.

After getting the keys from the landlord, Jiang Yu moved into her new place.

It was a two-bedroom apartment, nothing fancy, but it was in a good area with plenty of food delivery options nearby. It had a bathroom and air conditioning—she figured she’d buy a second-hand fridge when she had time.

After tidying up and buying bedding, the sky had already darkened and she was covered in dust.

She took a shower, sat on the floor covered with a soft rug and pulled out her phone to order takeout. Then she opened Weibo, wondering if anyone had contacted her for a commission.

She wasn’t expecting much—after all, who would hire a complete unknown?

To her surprise, she had a private message. Her heart skipped a beat, but when she opened it, she was left speechless.

Someone was cursing her for her pricing.

[3,000 yuan for a single piece? Are you robbing people? Pfft!]

[Which prestigious art school did you graduate from? Who gave you the nerve to set such a price?]

[You don’t even have sample work and you’re charging this much? Who would hire you?]

[Hey, hey, hey…]

The entire inbox was spammed by the same user: [Sentimental Rogue].

Rather than outright insults, he seemed more amused by her pricing.

Jiang Yu skimmed through his messages, typed out a polite thank-you for his advice and closed Weibo.

He wasn’t wrong. She really needed to prepare sample artwork—who would commission her without proof of skill?

At the same time, in the Lu family estate, Lu Mingyu lounged on the couch, staring at his phone. He chuckled when he saw [A Fleeting Dream]’s response, saying she would prepare sample work tomorrow.

He took a screenshot of her post and shared it on his own Weibo:

[No idea where this newbie came from. No reputation, no portfolio, yet dares to charge 3,000 yuan per piece. They claim they'll post samples tomorrow—let’s see if it’s worth that price!]

Most so-called artists on Weibo had little actual skill—just flashy anime-style drawings that attracted attention. Some had real talent, but others were delusional about their worth.

He was curious which category [A Fleeting Dream] fell into.

Lu Mingyu’s Weibo account, [Sentimental Rogue], had over a million followers. As the playboy son of the wealthy Lu family, he was rich and good-looking, attracting more fans than some celebrities.

Naturally, his post drew a lot of attention.

Scrolling through the comments, Lu Mingyu sneered. If [A Fleeting Dream] had real skill, his post would be free publicity.

If not?

Then she deserved every bit of mockery that came her way.

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