Beyond Tomorrow's Garden

Chapter 1

**Synopsis:** This is a delightful tale of Lydia Hawthorne, who finds herself unexpectedly transported to a future where she enjoys a leisurely life full of meals, sleep, gardening, and, quite serendipitously, finds herself wrapped up with a charismatic general.
Lydia Hawthorne mused that if the word "bed" didn't exist in this world, life would genuinely be more enjoyable...
**Main Narrative:** As a person with the personality of a pure introvert and a bit of irony, Lydia Hawthorne possesses an invisible nerd charm. Yet life has its twist; she learns firsthand that:
- The system can be a total nightmare.
- Mythical creatures can be utterly down-to-earth.
- The sweet and naive female lead from a TV drama can just as well be a guy in this scenario.
- The male lead can indeed embody virtuous principles.
This big catch must be taken seriously. *Chin stroking.*
Now that she’s here, what can't the protagonist handle?
If there’s anything, it’ll surely depend on her husband.
**Little Scene:**
Lydia Hawthorne: They say we’re not a power couple, Brian Carter, what do you think?
General Brian Carter: They are just making conversation, it’s not like there’s much to see.
Lydia Hawthorne: …
1. The story features a main couple with no angst and a happy ending.
2. Expect some lucky breaks and a bit of wish-fulfillment; if that's not your style, look elsewhere.
3. No third parties, no fiancés, keeping it clean.
4. Anticipated to conclude within a hundred chapters, please don’t hurl tomatoes.
5. This work is entirely fictional and bears no relation to real individuals or organizations.
6. Stoic yet loyal husband x witty beauty with an imagination-CP is crystal clear, roles defined.
The journey continues in this world where battles are won not just with valor but with wit, and the heart knows no boundaries.

Chapter 2

Lydia Hawthorne stood beneath a towering tree, gazing up at the sleek spaceships and hovering vehicles darting through the sky. Her mood was serene, devoid of any shock or complaints about her sudden change in reality.
If there was a silver lining to Lydia’s life as a self-proclaimed nerd, it was her mental fortitude—but that hardly counted as a talent. She couldn’t cook, didn’t clean, and while her grades had been excellent back in the twenty-first century, they merely elicited a resigned sigh in this unfamiliar future: “Well, here we go again.”
A quick recap of Lydia’s life: born with the same name, now eighteen, in the prime of her youth, and having graduated from the Empire’s most prestigious institution, Green University. She had finally escaped the clutches of her grueling academic life. A clear reason to celebrate, indeed.
Then came the well-worn tale: neglectful parents, indifferent siblings, raised as the overlooked child. In this world, where strength was everything, intelligence was merely a passing thought. And yet, like her former self from centuries past, this Lydia was still a bit on the scrawny side.
Oh, and one small detail that thrilled her: same-sex marriage had been legalized here thousands of years ago, making it just as commonplace as heterosexual unions. This fact nearly made Lydia want to shout with joy—almost.
Indeed, Lydia was a straightforward ‘zero.’
“Hey, Host, what are you thinking about?”
“What you don’t know,” Lydia shot back mentally.
“555… Host, when I was binding myself to your body, you were so weak that I almost lost you, so I set up a restriction against probing your thoughts...”
“Seriously, how can you even say that?” Lydia had pondered countless ways she could die—poisoning, heart disease—but never imagined she'd end up here, like this.
“Um…”
With a silent snicker at her predicament, Lydia shifted her gaze from the sky to a nearby floating screen that had caught her attention.
“Elderfruit, who’s that?”
“Oh, Host, that’s General Brian Carter. Isn’t he handsome?”
“Keep your crush to yourself,” Lydia retorted, narrowing her eyes at the crowd gathered beneath the holographic display who were practically swooning over him. “But I heard someone call him William.”
“Host, didn’t you know? In foreign cultures, the surname comes last. It’s William Carter.”
“…” Lydia fell silent, realizing that life was indeed simpler back in China with names like Zhang San or Li Si—much easier to remember.
“That handsome guy’s full name is William Carter. At just thirty, he’s already a general in the Four Galactic Armies and the number one choice for System A’s most desirable bachelor—he's left the competition in the dust. And the best part…” the system paused mysteriously.
“What’s that?”
“He’s unmarried!” The system's tone was far too chipper. “Host, you might have a chance!~”
“Unmarried…” Lydia mused thoughtfully, her fingers brushing her chin with newfound intrigue, a sly smile forming on her lips.
Meanwhile, General Brian, the very man who had captured the attention of both women and men, was busy instructing the new recruits of the Four Galactic Armies.
As he executed textbook-perfect maneuvers, the recruits buzzed with excitement, eager to try their hands at his techniques. General Brian, standing to the side, suddenly sneezed lightly, though it resonated like a bell in the charged atmosphere.
In that moment, the world came to a standstill—birds ceased chirping, the air hung still and tense, and a pin dropping on the ground could have echoed through the silence.
After the unexpected sneeze had distracted everyone, the onlookers scurried their gazes elsewhere, pretending to admire anything other than General Brian.
“Ah, what a beautiful sunny day it is…”
“Oh, the weather is lovely, clear blue skies!”
“Wow, look at how polished the ground is…” (The language employed here was bound to please any English teacher.)
Meanwhile, General Brian pondered the mystery of his sneeze. After a moment, he concluded—somewhat incorrectly—that it must be due to his grandmother’s incessant nagging about his love life.
He commanded the recruits to continue their exercises, unaware of the stir he had caused amongst his audience.
Three seconds of sympathy for the general, at least.

Chapter 3

This body, in comparison to the hopelessness of Lydia Hawthorne's past life, was burdened with poverty. Lydia understood that her immediate priority was to find a strong ally, a sturdy support.
Thus began the misunderstandings involving General Brian Carter and the poetic musings of the military camp. In a way, the system known as Elderfruit acted as a harbinger of bad news.
Recalling the memories of the previous owner of this body, Lydia easily returned to her home. A three-bedroom house, seemingly trivial for the Hawthorne family's House of Green, felt like an enormous stroke of luck for her.
Once home, the first thing Lydia did was stand before the mirror. It wasn’t vanity; after all, in her last life, she had been rejected countless times due to her appearance, ultimately becoming a reclusive shut-in.
With delicate, arching eyebrows and thick eyelashes like finely polished obsidian, her nose had the perfect lift, while her lips were plump and dew-kissed, resembling red cherries. Her tall, slender figure stood out even today. What was most striking was a tiny red birthmark right between her brows.
Her skin was smooth and fair as snow, but now it radiated health rather than the sickly pallor from her previous life. Curious, Lydia touched her face; it felt as soft as having used the finest skincare products.
In four words, Lydia summarized her feelings.
"Blue, Disaster, Water."
Had she looked like this in her past life, she wouldn't have had to chase anyone; they would have chased her instead. Lydia mused over this thought.
Wait a minute—how could such a stunning appearance lead to her being abandoned by the House of Green? Even if she were akin to boiled chicken, weak yet unmistakably beautiful like Lin Daiyu from the classics, she could still shine as a star across the galaxy. Surely, the profession of a celebrity hadn’t lost its charm completely.
The photo frame on her nightstand provided the answer.
"Elderfruit, was the previous Lydia always so gloomy?"
"Yes, host. After his mother died young, his father remarried Lady Green. At first, Lady Green was somewhat kind, but after having her own children, she ignored him, shaping his character. By the way, he was banished from the House of Green because Lady Green’s son, Ellen, lost a precious gem and falsely accused him of stealing it."
"Oh, no wonder," Lydia replied.
"By the way, the balance in your account now stands at one million star coins, equivalent to one million yuan on Earth."
"Understood."
"One more thing."
"What is it?"
"You can have your own personal space, which is bound to me, the system."
"Oh, how does that work?"
"First, you need to set some basic parameters."
"Okay."
"Do you prefer urban or rural?"
"Countryside."
"Rolling hills, plains, or towering mountains?"
"Plains." She felt more adaptable to her prior lifestyle, having lived in a valley.
"Bamboo cottages, stilt houses, courtyard houses, or yurts?"
"Bamboo cottage." The thought of residing in a bamboo house during summer brought her pleasant memories, prompting an immediate response.
"Bamboo forest, peach grove, or plum orchard?"
"Bamboo forest." She loved bamboo shoots.
"What type of terrain do you want: upper, middle, or lower quality?"
"Upper."
"Okay, the basic configuration for your space is complete. You can access it in twenty-four hours."
"Great."
"By the way."
"How many acres do I have?"
"Fifty."
"Oh." Lydia had no frame of reference for fifty acres and immediately opened the supermarket interface, only to be astonished by her balance.
"There are thousands, ten-thousands, why do I only have one hundred thousand left now?"
"Ah..." the system gasped. "Um, host, setting up your personal space incurs costs. I forgot to mention..."
"Elderfruit."
"Yes?"
"Are you sure you’re a qualified system? You’re not some experiment, right?"
"No, definitely not."
Just as Lydia felt a wave of frustration rising, she noticed her balance had increased by two million, leaving her amazed, dazed, and stunned.
"Elderfruit, who transferred this money to me? Look it up."
"Sure." Now that he'd made an error, Elderfruit moved swiftly.
"Host, it was your stepfather who transferred the funds."
"Looks like the House of Green isn't entirely devoid of humanity," Lydia acknowledged, nodding. "They were previously better than you."
"Um..." The system faltered, momentarily speechless.
Not wanting to hold onto the past grievances with the system, Lydia thanked her stepfather before starting her shopping. However, she needed to clarify what fifty acres even meant and how much could be planted on it.
Brushing aside the cringeworthy name "Qiandu," she scanned the vegetable planting guides and made some sense of it.
Two thousand five hundred cucumbers per acre.
One thousand two hundred heads of lettuce per acre.
One thousand eight hundred tomatoes per acre.
...
Seeing that people could accurately identify many vegetables made Lydia feel somewhat relieved. But why didn’t they know how to eat them?
What?
Cherries can be used in salads.
Cabbage should be eaten raw?
And it’s supposed to be refreshing?
You must be kidding. Lydia couldn't help but smirk; if ancient folks were clueless, this modern generation's "wisdom" wasn't up to par either.
After a long selection process, she finally got everything sorted out. Lying on her bed, Lydia suddenly realized a troubling fact: she had no clue how to farm.
Once that thought settled in, she drifted off to sleep. Since Lydia had set her mind to block any probing into her thoughts, Elderfruit resided in her mind but had no idea what her worries were. Eventually, it too succumbed to slumber.

Chapter 4

“Host, good morning. It is now the year 5072 on Planet A, Capital Star time 09:30 AM.”
“Good morning.” Lydia Hawthorne opened the wardrobe, rummaging through several pieces of clothing and was taken aback to discover the Green University uniform. “Though it feels reminiscent of my past life, isn’t this a bit sparse?”
“Host, do you need to buy clothes?”
“Hmm.” Lydia surveyed the frayed garments, all faded and yellowed. Considering modern technology, maintaining clothing like this was quite a challenge.
As she spoke, a thin virtual panel flickered into existence before her.
“This isn’t the interface for interstellar online shopping, is it?”
“Of course, this is the system’s built-in feature. The conversion rate between Star Coins and the system's payment currency is 1:100, which is significantly cheaper than interstellar shopping. Plus, I noticed your balance was only 1.35 million yesterday.”
“You finally did something right.” For some reason, Lydia felt a surge of familial pride in that moment.
“Yay!” The system gleefully absorbed the praise, showering her with joyful messages.
“Elderfruit, I’m done selecting, how do I pay?”
“Ah. Oh.” The system finally pulled itself from its giddy state, and Lydia really didn’t want to know why it was so uplifted. Could it be a test subject or a glitch?
“Host, just press the confirm button in the bottom right corner.”
“Okay.” After Lydia complied, the panel vanished, and a white shirt, jeans, and canvas shoes appeared neatly on the bed.
“Elderfruit.”
“Hmm. What’s up, host?”
“Can you see me changing clothes in my mind?”
“No, the system has privacy protection for the host.”
“Okay.” Lydia nodded, appreciating this aspect of her system. She then picked up the clothes and, without hesitation, changed at the edge of her bed.
With her delicate features and slender frame, she exuded a scholarly charm unique to someone from Jiangnan, in an outfit that felt completely foreign to modern tastes, marking her as “a beauty like jade, unmatched among gentlemen.”
“I never thought I, Lydia Hawthorne, would feel troubled by being too beautiful.”
“Host, are you going out?”
“Not at all.”
“Then why...” dress so beautifully?
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing.” It was delightful to have a gorgeous host to admire, hee hee hee~
“...Elderfruit, can you cook?”
“No.”
“Then what will I have for breakfast?”
“I don’t know.”
“...”
“Host, host, don’t worry, I have a comprehensive recipe book.”
“But I can't cook.”
“You can learn, host, don’t be so quick to judge.”
And so began the picturesque scene of a captivating young woman attempting her culinary skills. What was that saying? This scene was so gorgeous, I want to experience it again.
“I can’t believe I actually made something.” Lydia gazed at the first dish she had ever cooked in both her lives—shrimp fried rice. The shrimp glistened red in oil, the rice grains were plump and separated, making her mouth water.
The efficiency of the system’s recipes was indeed remarkable; they were clearly documented and not vague instructions like “add half a spoon, stir until golden,” which for a cooking novice was like deciphering a foreign language.
After a hearty meal, Lydia realized she couldn’t just lounge around eating—otherwise, no matter how vast the mountains, she would eventually eat them all.
A chef? No, she was still a novice, and she couldn’t squander the budding talents of her country.
A teacher? No way, considering the early wake-up routine and the likelihood of encountering acquaintances was a firm “no.”
An online shop? No, she could only sell fruits and vegetables, which didn’t hold much value. The future prioritized nutrition.
A star? No, the entertainment industry back in the twenty-first century was chaotic; that was a premature thought.
After much contemplation, she ultimately decided to return to her old profession—being a writer.
Just imagine, a writer, working from home, only needing to speak while the program recorded it automatically—how enjoyable and familiar that was. Just like that, her decision was made with a smile.
She logged onto a writing website—Prosperity.
Prosperity was a renowned literary site in System A, offering good compensation, generous rewards, a large readership, and responsible editors who wouldn’t scold too harshly—at least for the most part.
Embracing her lazy side, Lydia was perfectly content with this setup. After eating, she loaded the dishes into the dishwasher and flopped onto her bed. Gain weight? Please, with her stomach, she rather wished to put on a few pounds!
Prosperity’s homepage showcased primarily dramatic soap-opera-style stories situated in modern contexts, yet surprisingly, there were still readers.
“Register as an author.” Lydia commanded vocally, and a page popped up instantly, “Author name. One Two Three.”
“What genre of novel should I write? How about I blaze a trail with something ancient? Yes, like tales of daughters avenging their fathers or brothers who fall in love with the same woman—now that would stretch the plot nicely. BALABALA…”
In the end, a sweeping romance novel titled “Royal Consort of Prosperity” was born, with Lydia crafting approximately fifty thousand words of draft after straining her vocal cords.
Setting a release schedule of one chapter daily appeared sustainable for about five days. With that, Lydia exited the interface and began preparing her lunch.

Chapter 5

Lydia Hawthorne, a true homebody, managed to whip up a simple dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes to go with his rice—this was big progress, considering he only had a proper meal about once a month. At this point, he wasn't picky about food at all.
He had intended to tidy up his dishes before catching a quick nap, but then a notification popped up from his system.
"Host, I noticed that novels usually have covers. Are you planning to create one?"
"Uh..." Lydia, who had been in the writing scene for quite some time, was thrown off by this oversight. It was alarming that he hadn't thought of it, and even more so that he needed a reminder from someone else. It was turning out to be quite a day.
"Okay, fine. Just tell me how to do it."
"Draw."
"What?"
"Draw."
"In this high-tech era, doesn't it make more sense to have tools specifically for creating covers?"
"Nope. Writers advocate for an authentic touch. The more traditional, the more poetic it seems."
"..." So that explained why many of those covers turned out so awful. Lydia finally understood, but wasn't it strange that in the twenty-first century, no one wrote by hand anymore? Was he really expected to resort to such outdated methods?
However, surrendering to reality was what Lydia Hawthorne often did, without exception.
"System, do you have any references?" He couldn't help but vent a little, but he had to admit he was thankful for the elective classes he took at university, which required him to achieve decent grades in either ink wash painting or calligraphy. If not, well, let's just say graduation would be an uphill battle.
Since Lydia had always struggled with the correct stroke order, writing those flowing, elegant ancient characters was out of the question. He had decided to stick with painting instead. His dedication for a scholarship resulted in him holding his own against the art teacher, which saved his funding. Now, he could at least create a cover.
The system presented him with an image of a bride's back, adorned with red silk and a phoenix crown, as she was getting into a carriage. To ease his nerves, Lydia took a piece of paper to practice, and when he realized he was still able to draw, a sense of calm came over him.
With a flourish, his brush moved effortlessly, each stroke falling perfectly into place. He finished with the title **"Royal Consort of Prosperity,"** knowing the futurist lettering was quicker to write, but lacked the aesthetic it needed. In the bottom corner, he added his name, **"One Two Three,"** and put the brush down, satisfied.
Lydia scanned it through the Prosperity Network's system, which replicated it flawlessly. The cover for *Royal Consort of Prosperity* was finally done.
Feeling tired, he decided to take a nap, pausing to think that any workout to digest his meal was just a fleeting thought—he let go of those worries.
Mr. Elderfruit, the system's AI, also opted for a rest, and soon, nobody had an inkling of the stir *Royal Consort of Prosperity* was creating for Prosperity Network and System A as a whole.
The spark came from an editor handling submissions who stumbled upon the striking title. Curiosity piqued, she clicked it open.
Wow. The cover looks absolutely stunning.
Wow. The female protagonist is breathtaking.
Wow. The male lead seems so gentle.
Wow. The stepmother is incredibly cruel.
Wow. How is the novel already over?
With a heavy heart, the editor slowly made her way to the chief editor’s office, causing a buzz. Next was the director’s office, which created more excitement. Finally, she reached the CEO’s office, setting off another wave of reactions.
At the same time, readers became intensely interested in a novel that only had one chapter and an enticing beginning.
They clicked in, automatically referencing the stunned reactions of the editor.
Thus, word spread from one person to another, proving the old adage that there’s power in numbers. Within a day, while Lydia simply napped, his name as **One Two Three** became widely known—from toddlers to planetary leaders.
Upon waking, Lydia was astonished. He had anticipated that *Royal Consort of Prosperity* would be popular, but he certainly had not expected this degree of widespread acclaim.
But recalling that he, Lydia Hawthorne, was essentially a walking cheat code, he took it all in stride. More attention and praise? No big deal.
Continuing as usual with his meals, he celebrated this unexpected success by preparing a cucumber salad with stir-fried green peppers and pork—rewarding himself for the hard work of stocking up on manuscripts.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a family was also enjoying their meal, with Lydia being the main topic.
"Hey, Third Wife, did you read *Royal Consort of Prosperity* today?" the head of the family, Grandmother, chimed in, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"I did, I did!" Third Wife, General Brian Carter’s mother, Ellen Grey, nodded eagerly. Everyone else chimed in except for Brian, the eldest son.
"Mom, let me tell you, the character Young Master Situ is incredibly gentle..."
"Yes, yes! And I think Mu Rong Qiudi is so understanding and beautiful!"
"I agree. Prince Xuanyuan is domineering, but he’s also loyal and clever..."
If Lydia had heard them, he would have silently thought, “I've only written five thousand words. How could you gather so much from that? You truly are extraordinary.”
Brian remained focused on his meal, his strong facial features and athletic build conveying an air of seriousness that made him striking. He silently thanked the author named One Two Three for rescuing him from his relentless matchmaking ordeal.
In his mind, Brian offered a salute to Lydia Hawthorne.
And thus, Lydia found himself sneezing unexpectedly.

There are limited chapters to put here, click the button below to continue reading "Beyond Tomorrow's Garden"

(It will automatically jump to the book when you open the app).

❤️Click to read more exciting content❤️