1968, Songzi Mountain Village.
From the Liu family courtyard came the shouts and laughter of men passing cups and clinking glasses.
“Xiangyang, the bride you just married is really something! Just a bit skinny, but give her a couple of years and she’ll surely bear you two big, healthy boys!”
“Exactly! I heard you even emptied your family fortune to marry her!”
“You’re one lucky guy, Xiangyang!”
Liu Xiangyang was already tipsy. He smirked and tilted his cup back to finish the wine in one gulp. “Just a lousy woman! Tonight, I’ll have her completely under control!”
Around him came the sound of ill-intentioned laughter.
Inside the new room.
“Ow!”
Lin Qiao instinctively reached for the back of her head and felt a large bump.
She’d been hit? Who dared do this?
She didn’t have time to think further and sprang up from the floor.
Sliding into her space.
She… really needed to pee.
After relieving herself, she finally relaxed and collapsed onto the lounge chair inside her space. As she recalled the strange memories that had popped into her mind, it hit her—had she transmigrated into a book?
The original Lin Qiao shared her name. She was the cannon-fodder half-sister from a historical novel she had read in her previous life.
At sixteen, the original Lin Qiao was sold by her own father to Liu Xiangyang—the abusive man she had just married—for 100 yuan and thirty jin of grain coupons. She endured years of abuse. After the heroine’s family moved to the city, Lin Qiao had lost all value and was ultimately beaten to death in a chamber pot by her husband.
After her death, not a single part of her body was spared from suffering. The Yuan family demanded a huge sum from Liu Xiangyang, and the incident was buried once and for all.
The novel depicted countless scenes of Lin Qiao suffering at her in-laws’ hands and returning home for help, while her family always acted as if the victim were at fault.
Grandpa Yuan said: “Lin Qiao, every husband hits his wife. Endure it a little longer, in a few years it will be fine.”
Her father said: “With your reputation, who else besides Xiangyang would want you? Don’t you know how to cherish yourself?”
Her elder sister said: “I think your brother-in-law’s pretty good. Did you do something to make him angry?”
Her younger sister said: “Beating is affection, scolding is love. Your brother-in-law cares about you!”
Her stepmother said: “Xiangyang will come to get you soon. Go with him. Couples fight in bed but make up at the foot—don’t you know the saying?”
Second aunt said: “It’s good that your mother-in-law likes cleanliness! Serving your in-laws is your duty! Do a bit more work, what’s the big deal?”
Third aunt said: “I’ve met your sister-in-law. She wouldn’t deliberately harm you; you’re just overthinking!”
Pfft! What a warped worldview from this author!
As a space-user who had survived several years in the apocalypse, Lin Qiao usually followed her base squad to collect supplies, but mostly she stayed at the base listening to gossip.
Exactly! Lin Qiao was a low-level fighter with a top-tier gossip addiction.
She considered herself innocent, never causing trouble, except maybe giving the victims a small heads-up during gossip.
If there was a sign before transmigrating, it was that most people in the base avoided her and whispered behind her back, calling her a “troublemaker.”
Lin Qiao refused to accept this!
She had suffered far more injustice than Dou E! She just spoke a few hard truths—how did that get her sent to this era of scarcity?
The apocalypse she came from was far more stable than the ’60s!
Although she had space powers, considering her fighting skill, she hadn’t stored much in her space. And plants were difficult to grow in the apocalypse without forcing them with powers. Even the small planting area in her space produced weak, drooping crops.
Once she confirmed the plants were fine after her transmigration, she finally relaxed—these were her survival resources.
Looking at the room before entering her space, there was just an old table and chairs, a big kang bed, and a wardrobe.
Apart from the red “double happiness” character pasted on the glass, it looked nothing like a bridal chamber.
Others transmigrated for luxury, wealth, or promotions. She had come for hardship!
Just moments ago, she had performed the wedding ritual with Liu Xiangyang and been dragged around for toasts. Even though she drank water, it was too much to resist.
As she struggled with a sudden urge to pee, her “kind” sister-in-law, Liu Meili, offered to take her to the latrine—but as soon as she pushed her inside, she struck Lin Qiao from behind, knocking her out.
The novel scarcely described the cannon-fodder sister; only that she was already marked by the first return visit.
Liu Xiangyang, looking furious, demanded an explanation from the Lin family, claiming the original Lin Qiao had been unchaste, seducing other men in front of him.
After coaxing Liu Xiangyang to bring her back, the original Lin Qiao endured a life of misery.
Damn it!
Since she had arrived, she would make the original Lin Qiao’s “caretakers” pay.
The vicious mother-in-law, brutal husband, malicious sister-in-law, ungrateful stepdaughter, and the bloodsucking maiden family.
For some reason, she felt a spark of excitement. Alone in the apocalypse, she now looked forward to quickly integrating into this big family.
After drinking some spiritual spring water from her space—which strengthened the body over time—the bump on the back of her head finally stopped hurting.
Time to go out.
Lin Qiao burst out of her space and rushed to the window, pressing her face against the glass as she stared with green-tinged eyes at the two leisurely hens in the chicken pen, saliva pooling in her mouth.
In the apocalypse, animals were either zombified or mutated—she hadn’t had real meat in years!
A knock at the door.
“Stepmother, hurry! Your sister-in-law’s looking for you!”
Lin Qiao had closed the door when entering her space, still distracted by the chickens, and ignored the knock.
After a while:
“Why no response? Could your sister-in-law have beaten you to death?”
“That’d be good! The stepmother isn’t a good person anyway—better if she dies so she won’t bully me.”
“But I heard your stepmother has a good temper.”
“Who knows if she’s pretending? If she dares mistreat me, I’ll tell the village she abused me or committed adultery! Let’s see if Dad still likes her! Grandma will egg him on to beat her!”
Though her voice was childish, her words were poisonous. Eventually, the knocking faded.
After a bit more time:
“Sis-in-law! What are you doing in there? My brother’s calling you!”
A woman outside pounded the door, shouting.
Reluctantly, Lin Qiao wiped her mouth and went to the door.
The door creaked open. The girl standing outside stared at her pants like she expected a show, then looked slightly disappointed, scanning the room. She muttered quietly: “Not bad, you held it in well.”
“Meili, take me to the latrine! I really can’t hold it anymore!” Lin Qiao blushed, clamping her legs together, grabbing Liu Meili’s arm, and dragging her along.
Seeing this, Liu Meili’s face lit up with glee.
“Don’t rush, sis-in-law. I’ll take you right away.”
A few steps later, a disheveled man drooling ran toward them.
Lin Qiao immediately realized: this sister-in-law was pure mischief!
Let’s see who’s faster!
Before Liu Meili could react, Lin Qiao tripped her as she lifted her leg.
With a scream, Liu Meili fell forward, colliding with the crazy man.
Lin Qiao stood behind her and carefully poured a cup of water from her space, secretly dumping it all over Liu Meili’s backside while no one was looking.