[Ancient to Modern] A Thousand Years to Repay You

[A peaceful slice-of-life story. Sorry, I’m going to stockpile more chapters… Updates follow the rankings before it goes premium.]

Fine clothes repay the old moon; beneath a cup, we remember those who came before.

After taking over a guesthouse, Helan Ting welcomes young men from the Song and Wei dynasties, brought to the present day through a special posthumous talent-recruitment program.

After teaching them simplified Chinese characters and helping them get used to the new world, Helan Ting once again hosts a new acquaintance of Su Shi’s and politely turns down their invitation to visit a pretty restaurant for photos. Then she turns around, sees the Shine Muscat grapes and a pile of literary reviews on Cao Pi’s desk, and angrily pulls out her blood glucose meter.

Fortunately, more historical figures keep turning up at the guesthouse, including Li Bai, who drinks like a fish, and an empress who stays up late studying modern finance and law. There’s no way she can keep an eye on them all, so she just stays busy and enjoys herself.

Helan Ting plays mahjong with everyone, loses all her meal money for the day yet again, and leaves the table in a huff. Li Qingzhao pats her on the shoulder. “I’ll take over.”

Yuan Zhen spends every day reading Bai Juyi’s poetry. Li He stays up late reading Marquez and Yukio Mishima. Xue Tao is busy debunking rumors and making creative products. Feng Menglong is tinkering with something on the forums. Zhang Juzheng and Zhuge Liang discuss childhood education in their spare time. Su Shi drags Zhang Liang, who has been abstaining from food, to an all-you-can-eat buffet. Wang Anshi studies history at home.

Drunk, Li Bai casually splashes ink across the page, and a thousand years of history spill forth.

“Do you not recall the gathering at the Orchid Pavilion, where men of spirit sat together? Now bamboo fills the hills of Shanyin, and only empty traces remain.”

Years later, once again at Helan Ting.

Historical figures transmigrate to the modern day. Don’t overthink it, and don’t expect profound themes. The transmigration is irreversible. No romance; they’re friends who eat, play, and spend time together. The order in the blurb doesn’t reflect the order in which they appear in the story.

There’s no fixed main plot. This is a peaceful, everyday slice-of-life story about eating, chatting, and having fun. Nothing much happens. They live quiet, carefree lives and find new flowers in a new world and a new era. The author intends this as a story to read before bed and then drift off to sleep feeling at peace. To each their own, so please choose according to your taste.

This is a work of fiction set in a parallel world. Please don’t confuse the novel with real historical figures. If we’re being strict, transmigration itself is the biggest logical impossibility. At heart, this is a light, accessible novel, so let’s agree to disagree.

I’ll write up the blurb for the next story later. A long list doesn’t look good.

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Theme: Fine clothes repay the old moon; beneath a cup, we remember those who came before.