Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space

The call connected, and upon hearing his son pick up, asking sweetly, "Who’s this? Who are you looking for?"

Zhou Jiao’s expression immediately relaxed: "It’s Zhou Jiao. May I ask who you are?"

"Ah, Mom, it’s me, it’s me! Didn’t you recognize me?"

"Let me think; it seems like it’s my son."

"Hahaha, Mom, did you miss me? Where are you now? Grandpa and Dad are not home, Grandma is beside me, and Great-Grandma visited our house just now."

"Really? Mom is still in Jiang City and will only take the train to Lingnan tomorrow. After Mom finishes her work, she’ll come back to be with you. You be good at home and wait for Mom to return."

"Okay, Mom, you be safe. Mom, Grandma wants to talk to you."

"Jiao Jiao, is it you? Don’t wander around outside; it’s getting dark. Go back to the guesthouse early."

"Okay, Mom, tell Dad I’m fine. Is everything okay at home?"

Lin Lishan laughed at the other end of the phone: "You’ve just left, how could anything happen? If there’s nothing, hang up and talk when you return. Everything is fine; you go back to the guesthouse early. Your aunt will find you when you go to Lingnan, remember to contact her."

Zhou Jiao listened to her continuously urging her to return to the guesthouse, smiled, said a few more simple words to them, and hung up immediately. Any more and she could afford the round trip on the train.

After paying, she walked out, and night had already fallen.

Thinking of tonight’s operation, Zhou Jiao felt invigorated. There could not be any mistakes in the forthcoming matter. Even though she had calculated in her mind countless times, careful planning was still necessary.

After walking a while, Zhou Jiao began taking advantage of no one noticing, strolled around residential areas, and then sneaked into a predetermined forest, taking out powdered makeup in the dark to disguise herself.

Worried that couples might be hiding in the forest, she dared not carelessly use a flashlight for the mirror; changing into patched clothing, she quietly emerged.

After a long walk and making sure no one was following her, she retrieved her small car from an unlit area and immediately drove into the city, daring to use a flashlight to examine her makeup and make any necessary adjustments.

Tonight, she could not afford to show any flaws. There might be accidents during the operation, someone might even recognize her.

The consequence could mean eliminating risks entirely. But what if it’s an innocent life? Zhou Jiao didn’t want to easily put someone to death.

Perhaps that person might be the pillar of a family, or maybe they have saved numerous lives. Her disguise might become their lifeline!

Zhou Jiao sighed softly and drove towards the secret chamber her grandmother had mentioned in her will. She silently prayed to heaven for everything to proceed smoothly, hoping to find Zhou Family’s items.

Among the three secret chambers, this one was the most likely to be Zhou Family’s, otherwise, it would be a complete disappointment. Based on their father-daughter speculation, Lingnan was 99% likely to be Gu Family’s.

Marine transportation had to be close to the coastal area, establishing a secret chamber there, so the whole family could escape by ship from Daqing—this suited Gu Family, but wasn’t fitting for Zhou Family.

Back when Daqing hadn’t fallen, Zhou Family was influential. Their base was in Beijing; no descendants had ever served in Lingnan. From this perspective, hope was already slim.

But tonight, if this secret chamber didn’t disappoint them, it would truly be Old Zhou Family’s chamber. Perhaps the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi’s great-grandfather left some contingencies.

As the car drove out of the suburbs, a strong wind began, and swirling clouds covered the moon. The earth sank into darkness, the pitch-black night made Zhou Jiao hesitate.

Thinking of it as Zhou Family’s last heritage, Zhou Jiao bit her lip, stepped on the accelerator, increased the speed, and headed determinedly toward her target.

Passed one village after another, a heavy rain truly began. Watching the increasingly difficult dirt road, Zhou Jiao gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Soon, see, even heaven lends a hand. Thunder roared, and continuous rain made this night easier, adding to her odds.

With optimism, before Zhou Jiao felt she was falling apart from the bumps, she finally reached the foot of the back mountain. The distant village was in darkness; rhythmic lightning and deafening thunder disoriented Zhou Jiao.

Staring out the car window at the back mountain, she wasn’t worried about being struck by lightning; after the thunder, the rain would diminish. Wait a bit, when the rain lessens, she can climb the mountain.

According to her grandmother Gu Mingzhu’s will, the back mountain was strewn with rocks, with an ancient temple on the mountain waist and many varying-sized grave heaps. Her target was a cave near the temple.

It’s a lie not to say she’s scared. From a time traveler’s perspective, Zhou Jiao believed that souls exist; otherwise, how could she explain their reincarnation?

The rock pile indicated no large beasts but would likely have venomous snakes; however, that ancient temple was the safest. After debunking superstitions, fewer people practiced monastic life. Maybe in a few years, the temple would be destroyed. Those weren’t issues; the last remaining ones were...

This was what Zhou Jiao feared most—loose souls wandering!

What’s the saying? Evil doesn’t suppress righteousness!

Exactly! Zhou Jiao reassured herself, wore a black raincoat and boots, adorned herself with all the blessed pendants from her space, thinking that peach wood wards off evil, specifically wearing two strings around her neck and wrists.

At the foot of the shrouded mountain, Zhou Jiao quietly waited for the thunder and rain to pause or lessen. She silently recited the Rebirth Mantra, the Ksitigarbha Sutra, and the Heart Sutra.

Maybe it was fate; finishing the last line of the Heart Sutra, outside the car thunder stopped, rain subsided, even the wind vanished without a trace. Besides the darkness, silence swept in an instant.

Zhou Jiao stepped outside, reaching out, found not a trace of drizzle. Ignoring the mud on the car tires, she stored it in her space, took a deep breath, and quickly strode along the mountain path.

Walking on the rock-strewn mountain, shrouded in darkness, Zhou Jiao held a flashlight, listening to unsure cries from crows or eagles—or some bird—and rolled her eyes. As she was already there, she’d lost fear. Humans wield weapons, ghosts face divine artifacts; how could she scare herself to death!

If not for the fear of making noise, Zhou Jiao would have howled like a wolf, wondering if these birds would be scared away!

This was what Zhang Guoqing always worried his wife might act foolishly about. Ordinary girls would recite scripture while trembling and holding their breath?

But look at her? Fearless, advancing boldly!

At this moment, a thousand miles away, Zhang Guoqing didn’t know his wife was undertaking a major task. Knowing she had called home tonight, he happily played Go with his father-in-law, talking about new acquaintances, listening to his mother-in-law revealing the hidden truths behind them one by one.