The lingering warmth of familial affection hadn’t yet faded when Su Wei realized a serious problem—why had that interaction felt so natural? Why had she called herself the other person’s older sister?

"Ah! My mind is trembling!"

"I’m a man! A real man!"

Though her current appearance held zero convincing masculinity, her soul refused to yield. What just happened must’ve been pure instinct. Had to be.

On a small shelf of the dressing table, Su Wei found her passport. Honestly, when you’re this good-looking, even ID photos shine. People say ID shots are “beauty killers,” the most unflattering pics ever—but Su Wei’s? Flawless. A perfect mirror of her beauty.

She grabbed a lady’s handbag from the wardrobe. Didn’t know the brand, but the material screamed luxury. After tucking her documents inside, she sat on the bed and pulled up the world map.

At first glance, it matched her previous life’s map—except for a new continent of over five million square kilometers near the old Hawaiian Islands in the North Pacific. Bold letters marked it: *Grand Zhou Empire*.

"Grand Zhou…"

Su Wei fell into thought. *Zhou* was an 800-year dynasty from her past life—one of Chinese civilization’s most brilliant eras. Yet so ancient, later generations mostly interpreted it through myth.

Beyond that, faint ink shaded over 40% of the world’s nations. A tiny caption read: *Grand Zhou Federal Empire*.

Intrigued, Su Wei dug deeper.

Wikipedia:

*Grand Zhou Federal Empire*, abbreviated "Zhou." Homeland spans 5,693,127 sq km, entirely island-bound. A highly developed constitutional monarchy—yet unlike typical ones, the monarch wields immense power, often becoming Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces before ascending the throne.

World’s strongest nation and top economy. Vast untapped mineral wealth. Highly urbanized population; only 40% reside in Zhaoge. Immigration and visa policies are notoriously strict—only globally recognized contributions in science or other fields may earn approval…

Just as Su Wei grew captivated, a knock came at the door.

"Weiwei! The car’s here. Get ready, time to go."

"Oh…"

She powered off her phone, slung the bag over her shoulder, wheeled her suitcase out. Guided by Grandpa, under Su Xiu’s quiet gaze, she stepped outside. The streets felt strangely familiar yet foreign. Her tear ducts tingled again. *This body’s just too sentimental.*

A black sedan waited. The driver took her suitcase, stowed it in the trunk. Grandpa forced a smile. "Weiwei! If anything happens, tell Grandpa. Don’t suffer alone."

"Mm!"

Su Wei smiled back. "I know, Grandpa. You take care too."

"Good, good."

A trace of tears glistened in his eyes. *Everyone here’s so sentimental.* She fought back tears, slid into the car. As the door clicked shut, tears streamed down.

The driver glanced in the rearview mirror, sighed. "The general raised you two siblings through thick and thin. After you graduate, Miss Su, be sure to cherish him."

"Mm."

Su Wei stayed silent. Sensing her mood, the driver fell quiet. The car wove through the steel river of traffic, carrying her away from this harbor she’d just begun to know. The city breathed classical charm—many strolled in Hanfu and Tangzhuang. *Wow. In this life, China really holds tight to its culture.*

Under an hour later, Tianhai International Airport.

The driver offered to escort her, but Su Wei declined. She hated farewells—and knew Grandpa did too. Phone in hand, she searched for Gate 1. Lost, she approached ground staff.

"Excuse me, where’s Gate 1?"

"Gate 1?" The young staff member tilted her head, spotted "Zhaoge Royal Airport" on the screen, and straightened respectfully. "Please follow me."

"Oh, okay."

Puzzled but obedient, Su Wei trailed her into the first-class lounge, then a private room.

"Please wait here."

Bewildered, Su Wei sat. Less than a minute later, a flight attendant emerged. "Hello, beverage menu? What would you like?"

"Uh…" Not thirsty, but refusing felt rude. Airport prices were brutal in her past life—she ordered orange juice.

"Orange juice? Anything to eat?"

"No, thank you."

"Certainly. One moment."

The attendant returned with juice, standing politely nearby. "Your flight: Tianhai to Zhaoge Royal Airport, nine hours. Cleared customs yet?"

"Uh… No."

Clueless about this world’s routines—she’d nearly gotten lost *inside* the airport.

"No worry. Customs is on the boarding path. May I fetch your boarding pass now?"

"Okay… Thank you…"

Su Wei squirmed. Not born for nobility—hated being "served," hated the forced smile hovering nearby.

Finally, boarding time. The attendant guided her through customs and security. Suddenly—

"Oh right, I haven’t paid for the orange juice."

"Oh." The attendant blinked, then beamed. "Complimentary, ma’am. No charge."

"Uh… I see… Thanks."

*Free?* Su Wei felt a twinge of regret. *Should’ve ordered something pricier.*