She stuffed the dry leaves into the stove, stacked three to five pieces of firewood on top, struck a match, and quickly tossed it in. The flame slowly rose Qiao Yuwei’s eyes lit up with joy.
But the very next second
The firewood collapsed, smothering the flame until only a tiny spark remained. Thick smoke instantly poured out of the stove opening, choking her into coughing.
“Cough, cough!”
In just a few seconds, the smoke billowed out, filling the entire kitchen. It stung her eyes until she couldn’t open them, tears streaming down her face. Soon, the smoke spread through the window and into the whole courtyard.
“There’s smoke! So much smoke from Commander Song’s house did it catch fire?”
Next door, Sister-in-law Zhao was hanging laundry. When she looked up and saw the thick smoke, she shouted in alarm.
The houses in the compound were close together. At her shout, many women and elderly men rushed over. Seeing the smoke pouring from the Song family’s kitchen, chatter broke out immediately.
“That’s a lot of smoke. Commander Song isn’t home what is that lazy woman up to now?”
“Could it be that Doctor Lin got married and she couldn’t take the blow, so she set the house on fire?”
“Can’t Qiao Yuwei go one day without causing trouble? Someone go notify Commander Song! He’s at the training ground it’s not far!”
Hearing the news while leading tactical drills, Song Zhinian’s heart sank. After giving a quick order, he rushed home with a few soldiers.
When he got back to the compound, the entrance was already crowded with people, all craning their necks to look inside.
“Excuse me.”
He pushed through the crowd, lifting his foot to kick the door open
Creak.
The door opened from the inside.
A figure stumbled out eyes red, hair tangled with leaves, her already sallow face now blackened with soot.
“Cough, cough…”
Qiao Yuwei coughed hard, and to everyone’s astonishment, little puffs of smoke even came out of her mouth it looked almost comical.
“Finally… survived…”
Single for so many years, she had finally transmigrated and gotten a handsome husband yet before even holding his hand, she almost lost her life at the stove.
At that moment, the tension in Song Zhinian’s chest finally eased only to be replaced by anger. He strode forward, unable to suppress his fury.
“Qiao Yuwei, what are you doing now?!”
Hearing his familiar voice, she forced her eyes open and noticed the crowd watching.
She rubbed her red eyes and pointed toward the kitchen pitifully.
“I… wanted to cook, but the fire… wouldn’t cooperate…”
The young soldiers quickly ran into the kitchen to put things in order…
“She’s such a troublemaker, always causing problems for Commander Song. Good thing it didn’t catch fire.”
“Exactly. Poor Commander Song trouble every few days. Next time she might blow up the whole compound and drag us down with her.”
The gossip wasn’t loud, but every word reached her ears. She clenched the hem of her clothes, hesitating should she argue back in front of him? But what if it made him think worse of her…
Then again… her reputation couldn’t get any worse anyway.
Before she could speak, the man cut in.
“Everyone disperse. It’s nothing serious no need to gather here and watch.”
Song Zhinian’s authority, combined with his cold expression and suppressed anger, made the crowd back off reluctantly. They shot her a few more glares before leaving.
“Commander, the kitchen is fine. Just a lot of smoke, no open flames. We’ve opened the windows for ventilation,” one of the soldiers reported.
Song Zhinian nodded. The soldier immediately understood and left, closing the door behind him.
The room fell silent.
With his back to her, his expression unreadable, the atmosphere became unbearably awkward.
“Um… I’m sorry for causing trouble. I… I just wanted to cook before you got back, to lighten your burden…”
Her voice was soft and hoarse, her face smudged with soot she looked both pitiful and disheveled.
But in Song Zhinian’s eyes, this “pitiful” look was just another act she used to gain sympathy it only made him dislike her more.
“Cook?” He turned around and sneered.
“Lighten my burden? In the year we’ve been married, you’ve only caused trouble. Last time you snatched food from a child. Before that, you borrowed grain from Uncle Wang and sold it. When he came to ask for it back, you shoved him. If I didn’t have connections with his son Wang Lian, do you think you’d still be living here?”
Qiao Yuwei’s heart skipped. She had only just arrived in this body, and the memories were fragmented but it seemed those things had really happened.
Still… that wasn’t her.
“In a few days, after Professor Zhou’s seminar, I’ll find a place for you and move you out. As for the divorce agreement, I’ll submit another application and bring it for you to sign.”
“Let me explain…”
She stepped forward, trying to grab his arm, but he avoided her with clear disgust.
“You’d better behave yourself these next few days.”
With that, he left without another word, leaving her standing alone.
She watched his departing figure, then slowly crouched down. The empty house made her feel unbearably lonely.
Thrown into this unfamiliar world, surrounded by strangers who all disliked her, wishing she would disappear without a penny to her name and forced to clean up the original owner’s mess…
What a terrible start.
She let out a heavy sigh, then stood up and dusted herself off. Determination returned to her eyes.
“So what? I’ll fix the reputation the original owner ruined.”
Early the next morning
Qiao Yuwei got up, washed up, changed into clean clothes, and went to Sister-in-law Zhao’s door.
After hesitating for a moment, she raised her hand and knocked.
“Who is it?”
The door opened almost immediately. Seeing her, Sister-in-law Zhao looked surprised.
“Qiao Yuwei? So early what’s going on?”
Rubbing her hands nervously, Qiao Yuwei said a bit awkwardly:
“Sister-in-law, could I borrow some travel money to go into town?”
“Borrow money to go into town?” Zhao frowned, suspicious.
Last time she borrowed rice and flour and never returned them. Now she wanted money? That was like throwing meat into a tiger’s mouth.
Seeing her hesitation, Qiao Yuwei quickly explained:
“Don’t worry I’ll definitely pay you back this time. I know I’ve done a lot wrong before. Please forgive me. I really will change.”
Looking at her sincere expression and remembering how she had saved Huzi Zhao found it hard to refuse.
“Alright. I happen to be going into town too. Let’s go together.”
Before long, the two boarded a bus. After a bumpy hour-long ride, they finally arrived in the city.
Although the original owner often came here, for Qiao Yuwei, this was her first real experience of an 1980s city shops lined both sides of the street, people bustling about, vendors shouting their wares. The place was full of lively, everyday energy.
“Yuwei, let’s split up here. We’ll meet back in an hour.”
“Okay.”
After parting with Zhao, Qiao Yuwei confidently made her way to a pawnshop.
She touched the bracelet on her wrist, sighed, and walked inside.
Not far away, a jeep sat parked its occupants quietly watching her every move.