Lin Qiqi felt as if her head was wrapped in a layer of plastic film.
Everything before her was pitch black, and only faint, indistinct sounds echoed in her ears.
What was happening?
Before she could figure it out, a slightly cool and somewhat rough finger repeatedly brushed against her lips.
That finger even pried her lips open slightly, trying to slip into her mouth.
Had she run into a hooligan?
In broad daylight, no less!
Lin Qiqi tried to open her mouth to call for help, but no sound came out of her throat.
Instead, the moment she opened her mouth, the finger pushed directly between her teeth and even touched the tip of her tongue.
Lin Qiqi bit down hard.
But her teeth were weak and sore, lacking any real strength.
The owner of the finger merely frowned slightly and quickly stuffed something white into her mouth.
A rich, milky sweetness spread across her tongue.
That familiar taste.
It was White Rabbit milk candy.
As the sweetness spread, Lin Qiqi’s senses and consciousness gradually returned.
The indistinct sounds became Aunt Zhang’s anxious voice.
“Comrade, what happened to this girl? She was fine when she left home, but suddenly collapsed while walking. It scared me to death!”
A low and pleasant voice replied, “Temporary fainting caused by low blood sugar. I just fed her some candy. She should wake up soon.”
So that finger… was feeding her candy.
Lin Qiqi’s ears quietly turned red.
Someone had saved her life, yet she had mistaken him for a hooligan—and even bit him.
So embarrassing.
Maybe she should just keep pretending to be unconscious.
She shut her eyes tighter, but her increasingly flushed cheeks and instinctive swallowing betrayed her.
The man above her slightly curved his lips.
“What candy? What fainting?” Aunt Zhang didn’t understand and was still worried. “How about you help carry her to the clinic?”
Fainting from hunger and being carried through the streets to the clinic…
That would be utterly humiliating.
Gritting her teeth, Lin Qiqi opened her eyes and unexpectedly met a pair of smoky blue eyes.
The man had sharp features, a high nose, and deep-set eyes—objectively very handsome.
Only the hint of teasing in his gaze made him seem a bit wicked.
He knew she had been pretending.
Lin Qiqi sat up, grinding the candy between her teeth, and put on a well-behaved expression. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t clear-headed just now, so…”
“So you thought I was a hooligan?” The man waved his long fingers in front of her.
The bite mark had faded slightly, but her saliva still glistened on it.
“You bit quite hard.”
Though his words were sharp, he had saved her life.
Lin Qiqi took out a handkerchief and handed it to him, apologizing sincerely. “I’m really sorry. Thank you for the candy.”
The man took the handkerchief, slowly wiped his fingers clean, then pulled out two more White Rabbit candies and placed them beside her.
“Get up slowly. If you feel dizzy, eat these.”
With that, he stood and left.
Aunt Zhang called after him, “Comrade, thank you! Why not come sit at our place? We live in the textile factory residential area ahead—just at the end.”
The man didn’t stop and disappeared around the corner.
Only then did Aunt Zhang help Lin Qiqi up.
“You child, what happened to you? If we hadn’t met that young man, I wouldn’t have known what to do!”
Lin Qiqi pulled her teeth away from the sticky candy and answered simply, “I fainted from hunger.”
Hearing this, Aunt Zhang sighed, thinking of the recent troubles in the Lin family.
They walked in silence along a row of low red-brick walls toward the textile factory residential area.
Lin Qiqi looked at the freshly painted slogan on the wall—“Women can hold up half the sky”—still feeling dazed.
She had transmigrated from the 21st century into this Lin Qiqi of the 1980s several days ago.
The original family had once been fairly well-off.
Her mother, Jiang Yunling, was a Level 7 loom operator at the textile factory—quick and capable, able to manage two rows of machines alone.
Her monthly salary not only supported the family but even left some savings.
Yet over the years, not a single cent had been saved, all taken by Lin Zhengxian—her father—to support his own family.
As for her father, he didn’t deserve the name “Zhengxian” at all. Handsome but spoiled since childhood, he lagged in everything.
He held a nominal position at a welding rod factory, earning only a few yuan a month—not even enough for himself.
Just a few days ago, Jiang Yunling had an accident at work—her left leg crushed by a machine.
The Lin family collapsed overnight.
Worse still, under the instigation of his mother Yang Sufen, Lin Zhengxian took Jiang Yunling’s compensation money and disappeared.
Two thousand yuan—money that could save her life!
Because they couldn’t afford medical treatment, Jiang Yunling had to undergo amputation, becoming permanently disabled.
The original Lin Qiqi had to suspend her studies to care for her mother.
Both mother and daughter were fragile, crying every day until their bodies and minds gave out.
That was when Lin Qiqi came into this body.
Thinking of her previous life—with millions of followers, a personal brand, and an MCN company—
Then looking at the drafty red-brick house, rats scurrying on the roof, and an empty rice jar in the kitchen—
She had lain around for half a day, then suddenly sprang up.
Since she was already here, what else could she do?
Start over!
The 1980s were a time of economic takeoff—opportunities everywhere.
With her experience and foresight, as long as she got through this difficult period, she would succeed and give Jiang Yunling a better life.
But first, she had to find a way to separate from the Lin family and make Jiang Yunling divorce Lin Zhengxian.
She wouldn’t let the money she earned benefit that scumbag and his family.
Just as they neared the entrance of the residential area, a commotion arose.
Aunt Zhang muttered, “That shameless old woman—she still dares to come?!”
At the entrance stood a woman in her sixties, hands on hips, arrogantly addressing the crowd—it was Yang Sufen, the original owner’s grandmother.
Yang Sufen had always disliked Jiang Yunling.
After nearly twenty years of marriage, she had only given birth to one daughter—Lin Qiqi.
What use was a granddaughter? She would eventually marry out and wouldn’t even be recorded in the Lin family lineage.
Now she couldn’t even bring in money and still wanted to drag her son down.
With a mocking smile, Yang Sufen shouted, “Jiang Yunling! Let me tell you, Zhengxian is already with my distant niece. Shui Lian is pregnant with our Lin family’s grandson!”
“Hurry up and divorce him. And if you know what’s good for you, move out of the house!”
The crowd buzzed with gossip.
“What? Lin Zhengxian cheated?”
“His own mother said it—she’s even pregnant!”
“That’s heartless. Jiang just got injured, and he already got another woman pregnant!”
“Well, it’s also Jiang’s fault for not giving birth to a son.”
“Her future will be miserable. A divorced woman is worse than garbage.”
“Poor girl, Lin Qiqi… pretty, but with a disabled mother—hard to find a match.”
Seeing Lin Qiqi return, Yang Sufen swaggered over.
This useless granddaughter had always been easy to control.
A few harsh words and she would obediently cry.
“Girl, hurry and drag your crippled mother out. We’re going to settle the divorce now!”
“Move out quickly, or don’t blame me for being rude!”
Unexpectedly, Lin Qiqi didn’t cry. She looked at her coldly.
Yang Sufen shivered under that lifeless gaze.
When did this girl become so bold?
But then she dismissed it—what could Lin Qiqi possibly do?
Raising her hand to strike, she shouted, “You dare glare at me? Let’s see how I deal with you!”
Aunt Zhang stepped forward, shielding Lin Qiqi.
“Don’t be afraid. Go check on your mother. I’ll handle things here.”
Lin Qiqi nodded and walked into the courtyard.
Moments later, she returned holding a chamber pot filled with medicinal liquid.
At the height of the argument, she pulled Aunt Zhang aside—
—and splashed the contents directly onto Yang Sufen’s face.
The dark yellow liquid splattered everywhere.
Yang Sufen was drenched, some even getting into her mouth.
The crowd recoiled in disgust.
“Is that… urine?!”
“She swallowed some!”
“How disgusting!”
Yang Sufen gagged, unable to even curse.
Humiliated and nauseated, she fled amid the crowd’s ridicule.
“Serves her right!”
“Well done!”
Inside the house, Jiang Yunling had heard everything.
Her face was pale, her eyes lifeless.
Lin Qiqi sighed and said gently, “Divorce him. Leave the Lin family. I’ll take care of you—we’ll live well.”
But Jiang Yunling shook her head violently.
“No! I won’t divorce!”
“I’ll drag him down with me.”
“If I’m ruined, he won’t have a good life either!”
Lin Qiqi fell silent, then placed a small green booklet in front of her.
“I checked today. The state will give you a monthly allowance. We’ll manage.”
“And… if you don’t divorce him, he’ll take that too.”
Jiang Yunling froze.
Lin Qiqi added one final push:
“The factory might distribute housing soon. If his name is on it, we could lose everything.”
This time, Jiang Yunling’s expression finally changed.
“Qiqi… let me think… let me think…”