Lin Qiuman died.
She was struck by a billboard, bleeding from all seven orifices, and could not be saved.
Before dying, she even thought that such a way of dying was far too decent.
Someone like her, who had committed countless wrongs, deserved to be smashed into a meat patty or ground into paste to truly vent people’s anger…
The next second, she lived again.
Not as a corpse coming back to life—but reborn on the road of fleeing famine.
The howling wind and the scorching metal skin of the train—this was the third day of their aimless escape.
It was also the beginning of all sins, the day when everyone’s fate was rewritten…
Looking at the man in front of her, Lin Qiuman silently bit down on her back molars. Endless hatred grew within her, yet her face remained calm and expressionless.
“Manman, you know how to beg for food, right?” the man asked.
Not only did she know how to beg for food—she also knew how to kill him.
In her previous life, she had taken the blame for Wu Jianxun and spent ten years in prison. While she worked herself half to death stepping on sewing machines to complete tasks so she could be released earlier…
Wu Jianxun had been busy getting married, having children, getting promoted, and making money…
Heaven letting her live again—wasn’t it just giving her the chance to kill Wu Jianxun openly?
“Pack up. We’re reaching Han City soon. We’re preparing to jump off the train,” Wu Jianxun said, feeling uneasy. Something about Lin Qiuman’s gaze felt strange.
When fleeing famine, Lin Qiuman had brought a few flatbreads from home. They finished the last of them last night.
She had been hungry all night, so it was only natural her expression seemed a little off.
“There’s a pocket in my inner jacket. Give me the introduction letter and your high school diploma—I’ll keep them safe for you.”
Suppressing the hatred in her eyes, Lin Qiuman reached out and removed Wu Jianxun’s nearsighted glasses.
“I’ll keep the glasses too. They might break when you jump off the train.”
The two of them had grown up together. For him, Lin Qiuman had even given up going to distant relatives for help and had quarreled with her parents just to flee with him.
Wu Jianxun understood her feelings for him, so without hesitation he handed over the introduction letter, the diploma, and the glasses.
“I just thought of something. If the two of us act together, no one will want to give us food. If we split up and someone offers you a place to eat—but asks you to marry into their family—you should agree first.”
Looking at Wu Jianxun’s endlessly talking mouth, Lin Qiuman smiled silently.
In her previous life, she had obediently done exactly that. To secure a place to eat, she married the rough man Shen Linghua…
She had ruined the Shen household, squeezed out every penny Shen Linghua earned, and handed it all to Wu Jianxun as tuition for their university studies…
“And if I can’t find a place to eat, just tell people we’re relatives from my aunt’s side—that I’m your cousin and we fled together. They’ll probably arrange somewhere for me to stay too.”
Indeed, in her previous life, after she married Shen Linghua, Wu Jianxun was arranged by the village chief to work as a substitute teacher in the village, giving him a foothold.
Not only that—he also started an affair with another female teacher.
The most ridiculous part was that in the very first year Lin Qiuman went to prison for him, the two of them got married…
“Anyway, you’re underage, so they can’t legally register your marriage. Just stall for a few months. Once the policy comes down and the college entrance exam is restored, we’ll definitely get into university and leave far away.”
“I know exactly what you’re thinking,” Lin Qiuman said, enunciating every word.
She lowered her head, afraid that if she looked at Wu Jianxun any longer, she would strangle him.
She couldn’t commit a crime.
She absolutely could not ruin her life because of Wu Jianxun.
She still needed to atone—atone to the Shen brothers, Shen Linghua and the other.
In this era, many people rode trains without tickets to travel far without spending money.
When jumping off trains, broken arms and legs were common.
So Wu Jianxun could only die from jumping off the train…
“Manman, don’t worry. Once we get through this period, I’ll definitely give you a good life,” Wu Jianxun said, admiring how obedient she was, silently thanking his parents for giving him good looks and a silver tongue.
“You jump first. I’m scared.”
Ignoring the affection in Wu Jianxun’s eyes, Lin Qiuman urged him with a cold expression.
Wu Jianxun gathered his few clothes in his arms and bent down to prepare. Before he could even check the ground below the train—
Lin Qiuman kicked him down.
“Wu Jianxun, if you’re lucky enough not to die, you’d better never appear in front of me again. Otherwise, I’ll show you what it means to wish you were dead.”
Lin Qiuman slowly stood up.
Seeing Wu Jianxun lying motionless among the gravel, she curled her lips slightly.
She tore his introduction letter and high school diploma into pieces and scattered them into the wind…
The glasses he cherished like his own eyes were kicked a few times and casually thrown away.
Without the introduction letter, without the diploma, without the glasses—and without anything that could prove his identity—
Even if Wu Jianxun survived, he could only trap himself in place or be repatriated back to Henan City.
Because this was 1977.
Only when the train slowly entered Xing City Station did a trace of hope appear on her expressionless face.
In her previous life, she and Wu Jianxun had planned to jump off at Han City to make a living. But because she was too afraid to jump, she stayed on the train one more stop and arrived in Xing City instead…
The impact of jumping from the train left her curled up in pain for a long time before she recovered.
Following the memories of her previous life, Lin Qiuman dragged her exhausted body forward along the mountain range.
When hungry, she stuffed a couple of wild grasses into her mouth.
When thirsty, she drank from the river and continued on her way.
Finally, under the slanting sunset, she saw the familiar small mountain village.
Having no strength left, her vision went black and she fainted at the village entrance.
…
“Girl? Girl? Wake up. Where did you come from? Where are you going?”
The old village chief’s voice!
Just like in her previous life, Lin Qiuman was shaken awake.
Her lips were no longer dry, her throat moist—someone had already fed her a bowl of thin porridge.
She slowly opened her eyes and searched around.
Only when her gaze landed on the man with hair messy like a chicken’s nest, clothes full of patches, and a pitifully shabby appearance did she finally breathe a heavy sigh of relief.
Shen Linghua…
“M-my name is Lin Qiuman. I graduated from high school. I fled here from Henan City. Thank you for saving me… Sir, could you find me a place where I can at least get some food? I really can’t walk anymore.”
As she spoke, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
But she wasn’t crying because of the hardships of fleeing famine.
She was crying because after forty years, she could see Shen Linghua again.
“Fleeing famine?” The old village chief hesitated for a moment.
But the next second, he excitedly waved to Shen Linghua.
“Old Mao Hua! Come here quickly. Take this girl home and make her your wife.”
“Wife? What do I need that for?” Shen Linghua glanced at the woman on the earthen kang bed.
“They’re troublesome, cry all the time, and love nagging. I don’t want one.”
He looked again.
She was too good-looking—definitely the type with a temper.