Elena had no idea Sienna was trying to isolate her, but frankly, she didn’t care. She didn't want to hear a single word about Sienna; her only goal was to live her own quiet life in Solana.

  The war had just ended, and starting a business was nearly impossible. Every industry was state-owned. Dealing in grain? Selling fish? Opening a small shop? Forget it！

  Beyond the struggle to make money, even Elena’s movements were restricted. Leaving required military approval.

  People on the east bank of the Rio Sangreza River kept dropping balloons with propaganda, claiming there was "no freedom" on the west bank.

  Well... they weren't entirely wrong.

  But Elena knew. Soon, the government would start reforms. Civil officials would take over to kickstart the economy. The priority now? Use this peace. Secure two rice harvests, spring and autumn. By winter, the famine would ease.

  She could wait. She had the patience.

  From the scraps of propaganda and the whispers among the soldiers, Elena gathered enough. The East Bank was selling. Oil fields, mines—all for sale.

  The money would buy grain. It would fuel the economy.

  The officers’ private verdict: Traitors!

  But Elena knew better. Both sides shared the blame for the war. Anyone who could feed the people amidst the ruins? That person was a savior of the nation.

  Having been reborn, Elena had no intention of playing life on "Hell Mode." Before the country truly began its economic push, she decided to focus on her health.

  She wouldn't die young like in her past life. Not this time.

  Now, one thing bothered her: nutrition cost money. Two thousand pesos? Not nearly enough.

  And then there was Sienna. Watching her like she had a magnifying glass.

  Maybe... find a way to shove Sienna and Elias back together? Shouldn't they have run into each other at the market already? Shouldn't sparks be flying between them?

  No, those two had to be together. If she remember correctly, Elias’s sister and Adrian aren't in love yet. They’ll split and stay friends. A massive blow to Elias.

  Elias would be coming to find her soon. Elena wasn't worried.

  After the busy harvest season, the farm work became less grueling. Elena was now handling the hour-long training sessions with ease.

  "The person who first discovers a mine must immediately freeze in place! It is strictly forbidden to lift your foot, apply pressure, or touch any part of the mine. Simultaneously, notify the team using a pre-set signal—raise your hand, whisper 'Mine!', or use the radio. Stop all movement..."

  In her previous life, Lucy had memorized these protocols until they were second nature, yet she had never once stepped onto an actual battlefield. So, no matter what the officers taught now, she only performed with superficial seriousness while her mind drifted elsewhere. The human brain has limited space; if you fill it with too much useless junk, there’s no room to think about the future.

  One day after training, Elena ran into Juana.

  Juana wore two ponytails with her bangs trimmed neat, trying hard to maintain a youthful look. But her skin was coarse, and her big, round face—wide as a washbasin—told everyone clearly that she was already in her forties. Grinding her teeth in a foul mood, she complained angrily that her son, Matthew, hadn't given Lucy a single glance.

  His eyes were only on that "vixen," Sienna!

  "How can there be such a shameless fox in this camp?!" Juana hissed. "I swear, all Sienna thinks about is seducing men. Last time, she was staring at Roan so hard she was practically drooling! Like a bitch in heat!"

  Juana vented all her hatred for Sienna in front of Elena. Elena just listened in silence, not daring to utter a word. She knew Juana’s game: Juana wanted Elena to put in a good word for her son to Lucy.

  Elena nodded along quickly. She didn't dare offend a gossip-monger like Juana. Besides, Juana was Major Barda’s sister-in-law, and her son Matthew was Barda’s nephew. Offending her was just asking for trouble.

  For the past two days, Matthew had been pestering Juana to go to Sienna and discuss marriage.

  "I won't allow it! Don't you dare start a scene in this house. This is non-negotiable!" Juana glared at her son, disgusted by his lack of backbone. One look at Sienna and her son’s eyes turned pathetic and "cheap." Juana had half a mind to strip him naked and beat his bare ass , but her "dear son" was grown now; she couldn't win a fight with him.

  In truth, if Matthew had fallen for Lucy at first sight, Juana would have felt uneasy about her, too. She only preferred Lucy because Lucy seemed soft-tempered—someone easy to bully and control once married into the family.

  Matthew’s grandmother, seeing the mother and son constantly bickering, gave Matthew a tip: "My dear grandson, don't fight with your mother. Just go after Sienna with everything you’ve got. If you win her over and get her pregnant, do you really think your mother will still say no?"

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  The old lady had been at odds with her daughter-in-law her whole life and couldn't stand to see Juana comfortable. Why pick the one Juana wanted? She thought the city girl her grandson liked was quite nice—tall and beautiful.

  Hearing his grandmother’s advice, Matthew thought it made sense. Sienna and her group had been in the army for less than a month; a formal marriage proposal might be premature. Better to find an opportunity to get her pregnant first.

  Once Matthew stopped making a scene, Juana felt a bit better. She had originally planned to find a way to get Lucy to move into her house while Barda was away training the troops. But before she could speak, Lucy had moved into that "haunted house" with that sickly, pale-looking soldier. What a nightmare.

  It didn't matter if Lucy didn't move in, though. You didn't have to live together to build a relationship. You could just send some gifts to get close...

  Thinking about how Lucy’s vegetable patch probably hadn't produced anything yet, Juana picked some eggplants and beans from her own garden. She thought about grabbing a few eggs from the coop as well, but after some deliberation, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her son hadn't accepted Lucy yet; investing too much felt like a loss. The vegetables were grown by the old lady anyway—if they weren't eaten, they’d just grow old in the dirt. Giving them away didn't hurt her heart.

  With that in mind, Juana arrived at the doorstep with a basket of vegetables.

  Looking at the abandoned old shack, she saw it was actually quite tidy. The garden soil had been turned, and there were stacks of bamboo strips nearby, looking like they were preparing to build a fence.

  "Auntie Juana! What are you doing here?" Lucy was stunned to see the woman. She quickly dropped her hoe and came out to greet her guest.

  Elena followed behind Lucy, her expression cold.

  In her past life, Lucy hadn't been on guard against Juana and had moved into this woman's house. Later, to save Elena, Lucy was forced to marry Matthew, ruining her own happiness.

  In this life, Elena would never let that tragedy happen to Lucy again.

  Juana surveyed the small room. Aside from being small and lacking decent furniture—they didn't even have a proper stool to sit on—she couldn't find much else to complain about.

  "I’ve been working in the fields every day, and I finally got some free time, so I came to see you." Juana sat on a tiny wooden stool and set the vegetables aside. "You cleaned this place up inside and out? It looks quite sharp."

  Lucy was grateful for the visit. She knew Juana had seemingly looked after her during their first few days in the fields, but she didn't know how to respond to the praise. This place wasn't just her work; Elena deserved the credit too. "Auntie Juana, it wasn't like that. Elena also—"

  "Alright, I know you're a good girl," Juana interrupted, not even bothering to listen. Her gaze swept over Elena with clear disdain.

  This pale soldier is so rude, Juana thought. I'm a guest, and she doesn't even offer to pour a cup of tea. She has no common sense. Instead, the girl just stood there like a statue while Juana tried to talk to Lucy, as if she were afraid Juana would kidnap her. Juana decided right then that the silent Elena was a bit "off" in the head.

  Lucy wanted to explain that it was actually all Elena’s arrangement, but Juana wouldn't let her speak, launched straight into small talk.

  "Oh! Your birth date, your zodiac sign... you are a perfect match for my son! The art of divination says that once you marry, you’ll have two sons immediately!" Juana’s expression was exaggerated as she slapped her thigh for emphasis.

  Lucy was mortified!

  Who wants to have sons? Who wants to have sons with your son?! But Juana was an elder and a relative of the battalion commander, so Lucy didn't know how to push back.

  Elena stepped in to break the tension:

  "A while ago, we ran into a wizard at the Beldora crossroads," Elena said. "He performed a reading and said Lucy’s fate 'curses her husbands.' He said she would have to lose at least three husbands before she could find happiness... Lucy has already decided to become a nun and stay a widow for life. She says she doesn't want to hurt any men... But I think it's unnecessary. The wizard said that for a certain fee, he could help Lucy break the curse. The problem is, Lucy’s family is short on money, and I don't have any either. Heh..."

  Lucy’s eyes went wide as she stared at Elena. When did she learn to lie like this?

  Elena was doing it without blushing or her heart skipping a beat. Lucy realized Elena was lying for her own good and quickly nodded, her face flushing red.

  Juana was horrified. "What? What did you say? Cu-cursing her husbands? Three dead husbands? You’re not pulling my leg, are you?"

  Elena fought back a smile. "The wizard said it would take 150,000 pesos to break the curse."

  Lucy: "..."