The fluorescent lights of the office hummed with a sound that drilled into Li Wei's skull. It was 3:00 AM. The spreadsheet blurred before his eyes, rows of numbers turning into abstract art. His chest tightened—a sharp, crushing grip that felt like an iron vice.
*"Just a little longer,"* he told himself, his hand trembling over the keyboard. *"Just finish the quarterly report."*
But his body had reached its limit years ago. The vice squeezed. The lights flickered. And in the quiet desperation of a middle-aged salaryman who had never seen the ocean, let alone the open plains of his dreams, the darkness took him.
His last thought wasn't of regret for the unpaid mortgage or the promotions he missed. It was a fleeting image of a cowboy on a chestnut horse, riding into a sunset, a herd of cattle lowing in the background. He had spent forty years on this earth dreaming of Montana, only to die in a cubicle in a concrete jungle.
***
**Thump. Thump. Thump.**
The sound of a wooden mallet pounding against fabric woke him.
Li Wei gasped, his lungs filling with air so fresh and crisp it burned. He wasn't in a hospital. He wasn't in the office. There was no hum of electricity, only the rhythmic beating of cloth and the distant crow of a rooster.
He sat up abruptly, his heart hammering a rhythm that didn't match the serene, rustic room around him. The room was small, smelling of old cedar wood and dried herbs. The bed was a *kang*—a heated brick bed—hard but warm.
*"Where... is this?"*
He looked down at his hands. They were smooth, pale, and delicate. Not the calloused, ink-stained hands of an accountant. These were the hands of a youth who had never done a day of hard labor.
Suddenly, a sharp pain spiked in his temples. Memories that didn't belong to him cascaded into his mind like a landslide.
*Li Wei. Twenty-two years old. Orphan.*
*Father: A failed scholar who died of illness. Mother: Died in childbirth.*
*Current Status: Live-in son-in-law of the Liu Family in Clearwater County.*
*Reputation: A good-for-nothing, a leech, a waste of rice.*
"Ah..." Li Wei groaned, clutching his head. The reality settled in. Transmigration. Rebirth. It was the stuff of the web novels he used to read to escape his depressing overtime shifts. But living it was far more disorienting than reading it.
He closed his eyes, processing the residual emotions of the original owner. The boy had been timid, scholarly but without talent, completely unsuited for the harsh realities of ancient life. He had been taken in by Magistrate Liu Guangyao out of pity for his dying father's promise. Married to the Magistrate's eldest daughter, the famously talented and icy beauty, Liu Suyun.
And he was miserable. Despised by his wife, mocked by the servants, pitied by his father-in-law.
Li Wei let out a long, ragged breath. He swung his legs off the *kang* and stood up. His body felt light, lightyears away from the stiff back and carpal tunnel of his previous life.
He walked to the small, cracked mirror hanging on the wall. A young face stared back. Handsome in a scholarly way, but pale and slightly malnourished.
"So," Li Wei whispered to his reflection, testing the voice. "I died. And now I'm here."
What was he supposed to do? Study for the Imperial Exams? The original Li Wei had tried that and failed three times. It was a path of sorrow and frustration.
Then, a blue light shimmered in his vision. It wasn't a hallucination. It was a screen, floating transparently in the air.
**[System Activating...]**
**[Soul Stability: 100%]**
**[Matching Host Profile...]**
**[Match Found: The Western Dream.]**
**[Ranch System Initialized.]**
Li Wei stared. A system? In his previous life, he would have scoffed. Now, he felt a thrill of excitement he hadn't felt in decades.
**[System Description: This system is designed to assist the Host in establishing the ultimate Ranch. Features include Genetic Modification, Crop Optimization, Infrastructure Blueprints, and Livestock Management.]**
**[Current Status: Level 0 (Novice Rancher)]**
**[Assets: None.]**
**[Balance: 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 0 Bronze.]**
A grin, slow and genuine, spread across Li Wei's face. He didn't want to be a scholar. He didn't want to be an official. In his old world, he had spent his nights watching documentaries on Angus cattle, reading about the history of the Cowboy, and playing farming simulators.
"This world..." Li Wei murmured, accessing the original owner's knowledge. "They use cows for plowing. They are sacred tools. Killing a healthy cow is a crime. Beef is taboo."
It was the exact opposite of his dream. But that just meant the market was empty.
"Li Wei! Are you finally awake?"
A sharp voice cut through his thoughts. The door to his small side room swung open.
Standing there was a woman in her thirties, wearing a grey servant's tunic. It was Aunt Wang, the head servant of the outer court. Her face was lined with permanent disapproval.
" The Young Master is waiting for you in the courtyard," she said, her tone barely concealing her disdain. "You've been sleeping until the sun is high. Truly, you are the most leisurely person in this household."
Li Wei looked at her, his expression calm. The old Li Wei would have stammered an apology.
"I'm coming," Li Wei said simply. He adjusted his robe—a simple, faded blue linen—and walked past her.
Aunt Wang blinked, surprised by his lack of groveling. She muttered under her breath, "Acting strange today... must be dreaming of another failure."
***
The Liu Manor was a respectable dwelling for a County Magistrate. Not opulent, but dignified. Clean swept courtyards, rock gardens, and the scent of ink and pine.
As Li Wei walked through the corridor, he saw a young man practicing with a wooden sword in a small clearing. It was his younger brother, Li Hao.
Li Hao was sixteen, skinny, and sweating profusely. He stopped when he saw Li Wei, his eyes lighting up with relief.
"Brother! You're awake!" Li Hao ran over, wiping his face. He lowered his voice, "I heard Aunt Wang scolding you. Don't mind her. I... I finished copying the books for the tutor. You can rest today."
Li Wei looked at his brother. In the original memories, Li Hao was the only family he had left. The boy was diligent but terrified of being thrown out.
"Hao," Li Wei said, ruffling the boy's hair. It was a gesture he had never made before, startling Li Hao. "Put down the sword. It won't help us."
"But... Brother, we need to be useful," Li Hao whispered, fear in his eyes. "If Father-in-law decides we are too much of a burden... where will we go?"
Li Wei looked at the clear blue sky. The sky here was so blue it hurt.
"We aren't going anywhere," Li Wei said firmly. "And we won't be 'useful' by copying books or swinging sticks. Go wash up. I need to speak with Father."
"Father-in-law?" Li Hao panicked. "Why? Did you do something wrong?"
"I'm going to ask him for a job," Li Wei said. "A real job."
***
The Study.
Magistrate Liu Guangyao sat behind a large rosewood desk, rubbing his temples. He was a man of principle, stuck in a low-ranking position in a rural county. He had a headache from the tax reports—the harvest had been mediocre this year.
The door creaked open.
"Come in," Liu Guangyao said wearily, assuming it was a servant bringing tea.
Instead, Li Wei walked in, followed by a nervous Li Hao. Li Wei closed the door behind them and bowed deeply, his posture straight and unhesitating.
"Wei-er greets Father."
Liu Guangyao looked up, surprised. He adjusted his glasses. "Wei-er? What is it? If you failed the exam again, do not worry. There is still time for the autumn session."
"Father," Li Wei said, lifting his head. "I will not be taking the autumn exam."
Liu Guangyao froze. The pen in his hand paused over the paper. Beside him, Li Hao looked like he was about to faint.
"You... what?" the Magistrate asked gently. "My son, I know the pressure is great, but—"
"It is not pressure, Father," Li Wei interrupted politely but firmly. "I have realized my path is not in the Imperial Court. My path is... in the dirt."
Liu Guangyao frowned, confused. "The dirt? You wish to be a farmer?"
"I wish to be a rancher," Li Wei corrected.
"Rancher?" Liu Guangyao put down his pen completely. "We have farmers. We have shepherds. But Wei-er, you are a scholar's son. Your hands are meant for ink, not mud."
"My hands are mine to command," Li Wei said. He felt the phantom weight of a lasso in his hand. "Father, I ask for a favor. Not a handout."
The Magistrate's eyes narrowed slightly. He had watched this young man mope around his house for three years, eating his food and reading books he didn't understand. But today, the boy's eyes were different. They were clear. Focused.
"Speak."
"I ask to lease the Westland," Li Wei said.
"The Westland?" Liu Guangyao blinked. "The rocky hills ten miles west? That land is barren. Nothing grows there but thorns. The previous tenant left three years ago. It is useless."
"I can use it," Li Wei said. "And I ask for a loan. 50 taels of silver."
"50 taels!" Liu Guangyao stood up. "That is a significant sum. For what? To throw seeds on rocks?"
"To buy livestock," Li Wei said. "Cattle."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"Cattle?" A cold, melodic voice came from the inner room.
A bead curtain was pushed aside, and a woman stepped out.
She wore a pale green dress embroidered with lotus flowers. Her skin was like porcelain, her eyebrows like willow leaves. She was Liu Suyun, Li Wei's wife. She was undeniably beautiful, but her eyes were cold pools of indifference that barely acknowledged his existence.
She held a book in her hand, her knuckles white.
"Father," Suyun said, her voice calm but edged with ice. "He wants to buy cattle? Does he not know the law? Killing a cow is illegal. Raising them requires vast pasture and grain. Is he trying to bankrupt the family?"
"Suyun," Liu Guangyao sighed. "Let him speak."
"There is nothing to speak of," Suyun said, turning her gaze to Li Wei. For the first time, she really looked at him. She expected him to flinch, to lower his head like a beaten dog.
But Li Wei looked right back at her. He didn't see a terrifying goddess. He saw a business partner. A skeptical investor.
"Wife," Li Wei said, using the term for the first time without stuttering. "I am not asking for charity. I am asking for an investment."
"Investment?" Suyun scoffed, a small, humorless smile touching her lips. "You have never earned a single copper in your life. You sit in your room and read stories about lands that don't exist. Now you want to play farmer with 50 taels of silver? That is half a year of the household's disposable income."
"I know the law," Li Wei said, ignoring her insults. "Cows are for plowing. They are assets, not food. But what if I told you I can make them worth more than gold?"
"Ridiculous," Suyun turned away. "Father, please. Do not indulge his fantasy. Give him 5 taels to buy some chickens if he must work. But 50 taels? It is madness."
Liu Guangyao looked between his daughter and his son-in-law. He saw the desperation in Suyun's eyes to protect the family finances—a burden she had carried since she was young, managing the household accounts. But he also saw the fire in Li Wei's eyes. A fire he had never seen before.
"Wei-er," Liu Guangyao said slowly. "You know if you lose this money, you will have no way to pay it back."
"I will sign a contract," Li Wei said immediately. "If I fail, I will leave the Liu Manor. I will take my brother and go. I will become a laborer, a servant, whatever it takes to pay the debt. I will not burden this house any longer."
Silence stretched in the study.
Suyun turned back, her expression unreadable. She saw the resolve in him. *He wants to leave?* A part of her—the part that hated being tied to a useless husband—felt a flicker of dark hope. If he failed, she would be free of the embarrassment.
"Fine," Suyun said coldly. She walked to the desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a thick pouch. She slammed it onto the table. "Here is 50 taels. The interest is 10% per year."
"Suyun!" Liu Guangyao protested.
"Let him sign, Father," Suyun said, staring at Li Wei. "If he is a man, he will sign."
Li Wei walked to the table. He didn't hesitate. He dipped the brush in ink and signed his name with a flourish that was bold and decisive, unlike the meek script of his past.
He picked up the heavy pouch of silver. It clinked, a sound of opportunity.
"Thank you, Wife. Thank you, Father," Li Wei said. He bowed. "In one year, I will return this money with interest. And I will give you a taste of something this world has never seen."
He turned and walked out, Li Hao scrambling to follow him.
As the door closed, Suyun looked at the empty doorway.
"He is mad," she whispered. "Buying cows on a rocky hill. He will starve."
Liu Guangyao sat back down, looking at the contract. "Perhaps. But for the first time, he acted like a man."
***
Outside, Li Wei gripped the silver pouch. The wind blew through the courtyard, ruffling his robe.
"Brother," Li Hao whispered, terrified. "You signed the contract. If we lose this... we are homeless."
Li Wei looked at the western sky. The sun was rising, casting long shadows.
"We won't lose, Hao," Li Wei said. He patted the system interface only he could see.
**[Capital Acquired: 50 Taels of Silver.]
[Mission Update: Purchase Land & Livestock.]
[Reward: Genetic Modifier Serum (Grade E).]**
"We are going to build a ranch," Li Wei said, a wild, confident grin breaking his stoic face. "And we are going to start with the ugliest, sickest cow in this entire county."
"Ugly and sick?" Li Hao felt dizzy. "Brother, have you truly lost your mind?"
"Trust me," Li Wei said, putting his arm around his brother's shoulder. "I'm about to introduce this Dynasty to the Angus."