Xu Xia only wanted to live a comfortable life.
As dawn broke, Xu Xia was awakened by a series of loud knocks on her door.
Her aunt’s sharp voice echoed from outside, “Xu Xia, get up! Your cousin is returning home for Hui Men today. Come help me slaughter the chicken.”
Hearing no movement inside, Tian Mei knocked again, harder this time. When Xu Xia still didn’t open the door, she muttered “Useless girl” under her breath and headed to the kitchen.
Inside the room, Xu Xia rolled over, pretending not to hear her aunt. Her younger brother, sleeping across from her, got up quietly, careful not to disturb her.
Just as Xu Xia was about to drift back to sleep, the frantic squawking of a rooster fighting for its life echoed from the yard—even more piercing than her aunt’s voice, shattering any hope of further rest.
Soon after, Xu Xia overheard her aunt whispering to her grandmother about her.
“Mom, you can’t keep spoiling Xu Xia like this. Xiao Chun married an officer because she’s capable and likable. Both of them graduated from high school, but Xiao Chun passed the supply and marketing cooperative’s exam on her first try. And Xu Xia? She barely graduated and still can’t find a job. She thinks her looks will help her marry into a powerful family, but she doesn’t realize that capable men won’t settle for someone with nothing to offer.”
Tian Mei had always looked down on her niece. Ever since her brother-in-law and his wife passed away, her mother-in-law had doted excessively on Xu Xia, granting her every wish. Annoyed by the thought of Xu Xia sleeping comfortably, Tian Mei had deliberately knocked on her door earlier. “Even if some man is momentarily charmed by her looks, marriage? Ha! That’s never going to happen.”
Wang Xiufang didn’t appreciate her daughter-in-law’s remarks. “Then what do you suggest? That Xiaxia never marries and stays with us forever?”
When her eldest granddaughter brought her partner home, Wang Xiufang had suggested that since the grandson-in-law was an officer, he might introduce Xu Xia to someone suitable. But her daughter-in-law and granddaughter had brushed off the idea repeatedly. Seeing their reluctance, she had dropped the matter.
“Mom, don’t say such frightening things.” Tian Mei had no intention of supporting her niece forever. “What I mean is, the Zhi Qing Ban has visited several times. Xu Xia has no job and no prospects. She’s lazy around the house—she should go to the countryside for re-education. It’ll toughen her up and teach her the value of hard work and simplicity.”
“What about Jianshe? He doesn’t have a job either. Why not send him to the countryside?” Wang Xiufang couldn’t bear the thought of her granddaughter suffering in the rural areas.
Her poor Xiaxia had endured so much—losing her mother at seven and her father at ten. She and her brother had relied entirely on their grandmother to raise them. Her eldest daughter-in-law accused her of favoring Xu Xia and her brother, but on his deathbed, her younger son had gripped her hand tightly, his greatest worry being these two children. How could she not take extra care of them?
Xu Jianshe was Tian Mei’s youngest son, just a month older than Xu Xia. He was also on the Zhi Qing Ban’s mobilization list.
Mention of her son brought a smile to Tian Mei’s face. “Xiao Chun found him a temporary job. He starts in a couple of days.”
Her daughter was truly remarkable—landing a job on her own, marrying an outstanding man, and still helping the family. Compared to that lazy Xu Xia, her daughter was ten thousand times better.
Noticing her mother-in-law’s displeasure, Tian Mei quickly added, “Mom, don’t think I only care about my own son. Xu Xia isn’t my child—I have no obligation to find her a job. Besides, I don’t have the means. It’s all Xiao Chun’s doing.”
“Then as the elder sister, doesn’t she know she should help her younger sister?” Wang Xiufang grew angrier as she spoke, “We’re all Xus, must we draw such clear lines? Fine, fine, since you’re so capable, let’s just live separately!”
The fact that the old lady’s anger had reached such proportions, yet her eldest son’s family had kept it completely hidden from her without revealing a single hint—they were afraid that if she found out, she’d force her grandson to give his job to Xia Xia. Was she really such an unreasonable and tyrannical person?
Wang Xiufang threw down the chicken in her hands and angrily pulled her younger grandson Xu Fengshou toward the kitchen. “Why work so diligently? Others won’t necessarily praise you for it.”
Xu Fengshou had been quiet since childhood, often unable to utter a word for long periods. He let his grandmother drag him to the kitchen without resistance.
Tian Mei had indeed been cautious, waiting until things were settled before speaking up. Otherwise, given her mother-in-law’s favoritism, if her son were really forced to give his job to Xu Xia, she’d be furious to death.
That’s why she hadn’t even told her husband about this matter—only she and her daughter knew.
Glancing toward the kitchen, Tian Mei felt a twinge of guilt, but thinking about Xu Xia going to the countryside filled her with immense joy. Life in the rural areas meant working in the fields and mountains. Xu Xia, raised so delicately by her grandmother, would finally get a taste of hardship there.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Xu Xia felt a headache coming on at the mention of “going to the countryside.”
As a modern-day workhorse from the 21st century, she had already endured two years of diligent labor, suffering through early mornings and late nights. Now, even after transmigrating, she still had to do manual labor in the countryside?
Yes, Xu Xia had been here for two days already. This was a military marriage period novel, and her cousin was the female lead. After the cousin’s rebirth, she not only found a job but also fell in love with the male lead, a military officer.
The original host was a cannon-fodder supporting character in the book, jealous of her cousin’s happy life. She repeatedly tried to sabotage it and even attempted to come between the cousin’s marriage, ultimately being crushed by her.
Xu Xia wasn’t the original host. She had moral principles and wouldn’t seduce a married man, but she also didn’t want to go to the countryside.
It was 1970, and Xu Xia didn’t qualify for the “keep one child” policy. Her brother was six years younger than her, so he couldn’t be sent to the countryside instead.
If Xu Xia didn’t go to the countryside, she needed either a job in the city or a marriage.
Xu Xia understood the family’s situation well. Her grandmother doted on her, but the old lady had limited funds—not enough to buy her a job. As for her uncle’s and aunt’s families, they weren’t kind enough to help her find work either.
As for marriage, Xu Xia had carefully recalled all the men the original host knew, and not a single one was worth entrusting her life to.
After all this consideration, it seemed highly likely that Xu Xia would have to go to the countryside.
A ray of sunlight streamed into the room as Xu Xia sighed worriedly. Just then, her grandmother knocked on the door, saying she had made her some Ji Dan Hua (egg flower soup).
As soon as Xu Xia opened the door, the old lady affectionately pulled her to sit down. “Be careful, it’s hot. Drink it slowly. Don’t listen to your aunt—killing a chicken doesn’t take much time anyway. No need for you to help.”
Xu Xia took small sips. The egg flower soup was slightly sweet. In this family, only the old lady genuinely cared for the original host. It was a pity the original host couldn’t see reason—she drank heavily during her cousin’s wedding and ended up drinking herself to death, causing Xu Xia to transmigrate here.
“My Xia Xia is so beautiful. You’ll definitely have a good marriage in the future. I’ve already made plans for you—it’ll surely be wonderful too.” Wang Xiufang smiled warmly at her younger granddaughter. Her little granddaughter had snow-white skin and exquisitely beautiful features. With such stunning looks, she refused to believe no man would be captivated.
She coaxed gently, “Xiao Chun is returning for Hui Men today. Since you’re both Xus, if you cause a scene today, the neighbors will laugh at us.”
Xu Xia knew the old lady was afraid she would quarrel with her cousin, which would cause a loss of face and affect her cousin’s life in her husband’s family.
Both the palm and the back of the hand are flesh—the old lady had always doted on the original owner, and though the original owner didn’t understand it, Xu Xia could grasp the old lady’s good intentions. Since transmigrating was an unchangeable reality, she had to make the best of her life. “I understand, Grandma. I was being unreasonable before, but today I won’t argue with my cousin. But what do you mean by ‘making plans’ for me?”
Wang Xiufang affectionately patted her little granddaughter’s cheek. “Good girl, I knew you were sensible. As for my plans, you’ll find out soon enough—it’s definitely something good.” She hadn’t received a reply yet and didn’t want to say anything prematurely, in case it fell through and got the girl’s hopes up for nothing.
If it succeeded, it would be a tremendous opportunity for her little granddaughter. Let her eldest daughter-in-law stew in jealousy then.
Seeing that the old lady wasn’t willing to elaborate, Xu Xia knew pressing further would be futile and didn’t ask again.
After finishing the egg flower soup, Xu Xia went out for a stroll. Whatever plans the old lady had for her, she needed to find her own way forward. Going to the countryside was out of the question—she had had enough of backbreaking labor in her past life. Now that she had transmigrated, all she wanted was a comfortable life.
The Xu family lived in an old alley, with a small ditch right outside their door. The water was so clear you could see the bottom. Across the stone slab bridge was the main road. Usually, the neighbors washed clothes and vegetables in that ditch.
As soon as Xu Xia stepped out, she had the misfortune of running into her cousin and her husband, who had returned for Hui Men.
She wasn’t the original owner and had no intention of competing with her cousin. But given their previously strained relationship, she didn’t want to fawn over her either. Even if she tried to cozy up to her cousin now, her cousin would find the sudden change in attitude suspicious.
As the three of them crossed paths, Xu Xia pretended not to see them and walked past.
Xu Chun was taken aback by her cousin’s indifference. Before her wedding, Xu Xia had openly declared she wasn’t good enough for her husband. Xu Chun frowned almost imperceptibly.
She remembered that in her previous life, her cousin hadn’t acted like this. On the day of her Hui Men, Xu Xia had flipped the dining table, humiliating her in front of her husband.
Thinking it over, Xu Chun realized that her own rebirth had already altered her life’s trajectory—even her husband was different now, let alone other events.
Maybe her cousin was just biding her time, hiding malicious intentions. With that thought, Xu Chun dismissed her doubts and turned to her husband with a gentle smile. “Let’s go in. I’m sure my mother woke up before dawn to prepare a meal for us.”
As soon as they entered the courtyard, Xu Chun headed straight for the kitchen. Seeing her mother busy at work, she stepped forward to help. “Mom, let me give you a hand.”
“No, no need. Today is your Hui Men—you shouldn’t be lifting a finger.” Tian Mei noticed her daughter’s rosy complexion, a sign that she was doing well in her husband’s home, and her smile widened. “By the way, when you came in, did you run into that wretched girl Xu Xia?”
Xu Chun nodded.
“Your grandmother is upset with me over that girl. It’s my fault for speaking out of turn—I shouldn’t have brought up the construction work today. I’m sorry you got dragged into it too.”
Tian Mei glanced outside before leaning in and whispering, “Later, when you go inside, say a few nice words to your grandmother to cheer her up. We don’t want your husband thinking our family doesn’t like him.”
“Mom, Grandma does dote on Xu Xia, but she’s not that petty.” Xu Chun understood her grandmother well—the old lady had a soft heart and pitied Xu Xia for having no parents to care for her. In her past life, she hadn’t understood, but now she could empathize with the old lady’s intentions.
However, she genuinely disliked Xu Xia’s personality—selfish, short-sighted, and always blaming others for problems without ever reflecting on herself.
Thinking of Xu Xia, Xu Chun felt she needed to warn her mother. “I noticed Xu Xia seemed unhappy earlier. She holds a grudge against us. Before, I could keep an eye on her at home, but now that I’m married, you all need to be careful. Don’t let her ruin things.”
Her cousin was a master at stirring up trouble. If things didn’t go Xu Xia’s way, she could create chaos until no one had peace. Having been reborn with great difficulty and finally improving her family’s and her own life, she would never allow anyone to destroy it!
“Don’t worry about that,” Tian Mei said cheerfully. “Yesterday, the Zhi Qing Ban came again and said that this time, regardless of whether our family agrees or not, Xu Xia must go to the countryside. There are less than ten days left before she’s supposed to leave. In such a short time, do you think Xu Xia can find a job or get married?”
Xu Chun thought about her cousin’s personality and shook her head, but she still had concerns. In her previous life, her cousin had deliberately broken her leg to avoid going to the countryside and ended up staying home to cause trouble.
No, she had to find a way to make sure her cousin went to the countryside.
Meanwhile, Xu Xia, unaware that her cousin was wary of her, had just reached the end of the alley when she ran into a mail carrier who handed her a letter.
Strange, who would write to her?
Xu Xia looked at the envelope in confusion, double-checking the address and name to ensure they were correct before hesitantly opening it. A three-inch photo slipped out first.
The man in the photo wore a crisp military uniform, with light and shadow carving out his deep, handsome features. His nose was as elegantly straight as a mountain peak, exuding an unyielding, rock-solid aura.
So handsome—Xu Xia’s mind could only form these two words.