Chapter One: Crossing the Stars

[Dear user Jiang Suisui, greetings. Huaxia Interstellar Bank reminds you that your balance is insufficient to complete the deduction. Please repay the current medical loan of 4,861.27 Star Coins by the 15th of this month; otherwise, you will be listed as a defaulter, and all your assets will be frozen.]

Staring at the message flashing across the screen, Jiang Suisui sighed deeply.

Why is it that when others transmigrate, they become noble ladies from ancient times, royal princesses, or imperial concubines? At worst, they are modern runaway wives carrying a child, true heiresses, or celebrities in the entertainment industry.

But for her, it turned out she was a scavenger in the interstellar era, with bankrupt parents who had passed away and younger siblings to care for.

Moreover, in this era where everyone awakens spiritual power, she was a genetic defect lacking any spiritual ability.

Ha, what a bleak future.

So refreshing.

She turned off the screen and began rummaging through the huge pile of garbage in front of her using her mechanical claw. After picking out a few pieces of scrap metal that could barely be sold, she stuffed them into her worn-out compressed space backpack.

When the backpack’s display showed it was full, she put away the mechanical claw and left the junkyard with the bag on her back.

At the self-service recycling station, she placed the collected items into the recycling bin and selected the scan and appraisal option on the screen.

[Ding! The items you submitted can be exchanged for 233 Star Coins. Would you like to exchange?]

Jiang Suisui selected yes and entered her Star Network account. The money from selling the scrap was instantly credited.

After working for most of the day and sweating profusely, she had only earned this little, still far from repaying her debt. She realized she must find a job.

Truly, all roads lead to hard labor.

Lost in thought, Jiang Suisui walked for about ten minutes until she reached the station. Boarding the flying hover bus, she leaned against the window and dozed off for half an hour.

“Qingshan District, Station C16. Passengers, please keep your belongings and disembark orderly. Thank you.”

Hearing the announcement, Jiang Suisui yawned and slowly got off the bus.

It was time to pick up her unexpectedly increased younger brother and sister from school.

Due to the original owner’s poor financial situation, supporting her siblings was already a stretch, so they attended a community kindergarten where tuition could be waived.

Looking at the wide-open gates of Red Apple Kindergarten, Jiang Suisui soon spotted her brother and sister among a crowd of children.

But...

---

“Xingxing, why is your hand scraped like that?”

Jiang Suisui approached Jiang Xingran with a grave expression.

Not only was he injured, but his clothes were dirty, and there were even faint bloodstains on his collar.

She then pulled over Jiang Yueyi, who had just been hiding behind Jiang Xingran, and saw that Yueyi’s eyes were red and swollen, and the neat braids she had carefully done that morning were now disheveled. Her hair was messy and looked thinner in spots.

A surge of anger welled up inside Jiang Suisui, but she held back and asked in as gentle a tone as she could muster, “Xingxing, Yueyue, can you tell me what happened at kindergarten today?”

Yueyi instinctively opened her mouth to speak but was pulled back by Xingran and lowered her head in silence.

Then, Xingran forced a smile. “We had a sports class today, and there was that... that three-legged race. I accidentally fell and Yueyue fell with me. I’m sorry, sister, it’s all my fault.”

Jiang Suisui didn’t get angry but quietly squatted down, pulling the two children closer.

She then softly said, “Xingxing, Yueyue, if you lie to sister, it will make sister very sad.”

“Will sister cry if she’s sad?” Yueyi suddenly asked.

Jiang Suisui nodded. “Yes, so Yueyue, do you want to tell sister the truth?”

Biting her lip, Yueyi glanced at Jiang Xingran.

Though her brother had warned her not to tell sister about these things, because sister worked hard every day and didn’t need more trouble or worries,

She didn’t want to be bullied by Lv Xiaohui anymore. She didn’t want to see her brother beaten again.

Sniffling, her voice trembling, she said, “Sister... Lv Xiaohui is so mean. He always pulls my braids and even brought people to hit brother. Boohoo.”

Jiang Xingran tried to stop Yueyi from continuing, but in the next moment, Jiang Suisui took them both by the hands and started walking forward.

By the time they realized what was happening, Jiang Xingran and Yueyi were already at the teacher’s office door.

Only then did Jiang Suisui release their hands and knocked on the door with a cold expression. “Teacher Chen, are you available now?”

Soon, Teacher Chen, a short-haired woman, stopped chatting with a colleague.

Seeing Jiang Suisui bringing Xingran and Yueyi, she immediately felt uneasy.

But she maintained a polite smile, pretending to be unaware. “Ah, you must be Xingxing and Yueyue’s sister? What’s the matter? Is there something wrong?”

Jiang Suisui got straight to the point. “Xingxing and Yueyue have been bullied by classmates. I need to review the surveillance footage. If it’s serious, Teacher Chen, I need you to contact the other children’s parents for a discussion.”

---

Upon hearing Jiang Suisui’s intention, Teacher Chen felt irritated.

Of course, she knew that Jiang Xingran and Jiang Yueyi were often bullied by Lv Xiaohui, but what kind of family was Lv Xiaohui from? And what kind of family were Xingran and Yueyi from?

Jiang Suisui was really something—no money and always stirring up trouble.

So Teacher Chen feigned apology. “Sorry, Miss Jiang. I haven’t noticed such a situation. Xingxing and Yueyue have always behaved well in class and get along harmoniously with their classmates. Bullying shouldn’t happen. Moreover, unfortunately, our kindergarten’s cameras broke yesterday and haven’t been fixed yet.”

Jiang Suisui shot Teacher Chen a glance, her lips curling slightly. “Oh, if it’s not the students’ problem, then it seems to be the teachers’. Fine, I’ll take Xingxing and Yueyue to report to the police, claiming that the kindergarten teachers might be abusing children. Let the police investigate directly. No need for me to check the footage myself.”

She grabbed both children’s hands and was about to leave.

Teacher Chen hurriedly stopped her. “Hey, Miss Jiang, don’t say such nonsense. We are professional teachers; how could we abuse children?”

Jiang Suisui halted, her politeness gone, her tone icy. “Then where did Xingxing’s injuries come from? Don’t tell me he fell by himself. The hospital can do a forensic injury assessment.”

Realizing Jiang Suisui was not easily fooled, Teacher Chen forced a smile. “Well... it was probably from a little conflict with a classmate this afternoon. But rest assured, Miss Jiang, I had the school doctor disinfect his wounds and applied healing ointment. After a good night’s sleep, the injuries will heal completely.”

Jiang Suisui narrowed her eyes. “Whether it was a conflict or bullying, Teacher Chen, you should know better than I do. Please help me contact the other children’s parents. Otherwise, I’ll have to report to the police to seek justice.”

Teacher Chen was thoroughly annoyed with Jiang Suisui. She originally didn’t want to get involved.

After all, Lv Xiaohui’s family was wealthy, and his mother often sent her expensive gifts. Meanwhile, Jiang Suisui had no proper job and was rumored to survive by scavenging.

In comparison, her loyalty naturally tilted toward Lv Xiaohui.

But if Jiang Suisui really reported this and caused a fuss...

The Huaxia Federation’s child protection laws were very strict. She might lose her job or even face criminal charges.

In the end, she had no choice but to contact Lv Xiaohui’s mother to come to the office.

After a while, a wealthy-looking plump woman appeared with an arrogant expression.

Behind her was a similarly chubby little boy, who made faces at Jiang Yueyi and taunted, “Bleh bleh bleh~ poor trash, little bitch~.”