The system hummed thoughtfully. "So you are saying… you can crush this world in terms of money and power, but you should not do it too quickly?"
"Exactly."
"But Host," the system protested lightly, its tone shifting into something almost playful, "you were never the patient type. In your last life, you built three companies in two years. You hate waiting."
Ji Yu's expression didn't change, but a tiny flicker of amusement passed through her mind. "…Are you teasing me?"
"Merely observing facts," the system replied, though there was a trace of smugness in its voice now.
She sat quietly, staring at the coins on her palm. "I don't need small profits. I need wealth. Enough that I'll never have to count pennies again. But I also need to move in a way that fits this world's logic."
The system tried again, eager. "Host, you could start with writing. Simple books. Poetry, essays, stories. Your knowledge is far beyond this time. Even if you write down basic science, it would be seen as genius here. Within a year, you could be a famous scholar."
Ji Yu raised an eyebrow. "And when people ask where a village girl learned these things?"
The system fell quiet for a second, then answered, "We… can make up a story."
She gave a tiny snort, almost a laugh but not quite. "A story won't be enough. If I'm careless, it will only draw suspicion."
The room was quiet except for the faint creak of the bed as she shifted. Dust motes floated lazily in the beam of light from the window. She leaned back on her hands, thinking.
The system broke the silence again, this time in a softer tone. "Then what do you want to do, Host?"
"…Survive first," Ji Yu said. "Earn just enough to stay here. Watch how this world moves. Then choose the right moment to act."
The system seemed dissatisfied but didn't argue further. Instead, it said in a somewhat sulky tone, "You're making me wait. I dislike waiting."
Ji Yu's lips curved, faint but real, into the shadow of a smile. "Then you'll just have to learn."
The system sighed like a person forced into patience. "Fine. But when the time comes, I'll remind you of what you just said. No more holding back."
"Deal," Ji Yu murmured. She closed her hand around the coins and lay back on the bed, staring at the plain ceiling. Her mind was calm, but beneath the calm was steel. She would survive. And then, when the time was right, she would rise.
Ji Yu sat cross-legged on the plain hotel bed, her back leaning against the cool wall. The window was slightly open, letting in a faint draft that carried the noise of the busy street below. Somewhere, a hawker was still shouting about roasted chestnuts, and a horse's hooves clattered as it dragged a cart past the building. She absentmindedly traced the rough grain of the wooden bedframe with her fingertips while listening to the system's excited chatter in her mind.
"Let's start small and grow step by step, Host!" the system said, its tone unusually cheerful, almost like a friend trying to cheer her up. "First, you could write a few short articles—nothing too heavy, just things about daily life, little observations, or even advice pieces—and submit them to the local newspapers. We can see how people respond! If that goes well, you can write more, maybe even do some translation work since you know so many languages. Then, once we've saved a bit of money, we can explore simple medicines—basic ones at first, nothing too advanced. And after that… oh, oh! We can try the stock market! I've already been analyzing the numbers here, and there's definitely money to be made. Can you imagine? We could earn so much! I'm getting excited just thinking about it!"
Ji Yu turned her head slightly toward the window, staring at the faint glow of lanterns being lit outside. She could almost picture the system bouncing up and down like an eager child, spitting out ideas faster than her thoughts could catch them.
"You've thought of a lot in a short time," she said quietly, her tone calm and even.
"Of course!" the system replied, puffing itself up with pride. "I'm designed to think ahead. While you were walking through the streets, I was already mapping out possible markets, calculating profits, and planning a dozen different career paths. Efficiency, Host, efficiency!"
Ji Yu's lips curved into the smallest of smiles, though no one was there to see it. She pressed her palm against her knee, grounding herself before speaking again. "But System," she said, her voice thoughtful, "wouldn't doing all that make me seem… very different from the person I'm supposed to be here? What if people get suspicious?"
She leaned back a little more, her head resting against the wall. A faint chill seeped into her hair from the stone behind her.
In her mind, memories stirred. Her family had valued learning—but only for the boys. Her father and uncles had shelves filled with books, their nights spent reading under oil lamps, their conversations always circling around poetry, history, and examinations. Meanwhile, she and the other girls were told to stay away. Her mother had once slapped her hand for touching a book. The rule was clear: a woman's worth was in her silence, her obedience, her ability to cook, sew, and bear children. Nothing more.
So how could a woman like that—an uneducated, countryside wife—suddenly write clever articles for the city newspapers or translate foreign words?
The system, however, was quick to answer, its tone soft but firm. "Host, this world isn't as strict as you think. People here may gossip, but they don't really fear someone acting 'out of character.' Most care more about results than your past. If you succeed, they'll admire you—not question you."
Ji Yu's brow furrowed slightly. She picked up one of the coins she had laid on the table earlier, rolling it between her fingers. The metal was cool and light, the edges rough. "Admire me?" she repeated, her voice flat but thoughtful.
.
.
.
To be continued.