In April 1971, inside the family apartment building of the steel factory, the cold wind blowing through the corridor still carried a faint chill.
As the wind swept through the hallway, it brought with it the choking smoke of low-quality coal mixed with the bland smell of stewed cabbage. The cold air pushed the strange mixture of scents straight into one’s nose.
Yang Lihua was crouching in front of the coal stove in the kitchen. Her slender fingers firmly held a pair of blackened fire tongs as she struggled to add more coal into the stove.
In her previous life, she had just graduated from university and worked for only two or three years before going home and taking a nap. Unexpectedly, that one nap sent her all the way back to 1955—into the womb of her current mother, Su Meilan.
And given her age now, no matter how hard she rushed, there was no way she could make it to university. So she simply went to school together with her second sister, Yang Lijuan. After all, she had no interest in staying home to look after two little brats.
Because she had transmigrated into the womb, she had known since childhood how to please adults. In an era where supplies were scarce and families had so many children, kids who weren’t favored or valued could only barely survive.
But since she had been given another life, merely surviving wasn’t enough.
She wanted to live well—live brilliantly.
“Lihua, stop working already. When your second sister comes back later, let her cook.”
Su Meilan was sitting in the living room stitching shoe soles while speaking casually.
“I’m telling you, your eldest brother has finally come to his senses this time.”
“Your Aunt Wang from the neighborhood committee personally introduced someone to him. She works at the food factory. Her name seems to be Zhou Hongxia. I heard she looks decent, has a steady personality, and is an active member. If things work out with your brother, then I can finally be at ease.”
Yang Lihua was listening to her mother’s chatter in the kitchen. Just as she was about to respond, a sudden sharp pain stabbed through her mind.
The fire tongs in her hand clattered loudly to the ground.
Her lips unconsciously murmured,
“Zhou… Hongxia?”
Those three words were like a key that unlocked memories long buried deep within her mind.
Countless images flashed rapidly before her eyes. In her mind, a novel titled “Splendid Life in the Seventies” automatically appeared.
And the hardworking heroine in that book—who struggled alongside her husband and eventually became a model entrepreneur in the city—was named Zhou Hongxia.
As for Yang Lihua…
At first, she was the vicious younger sister-in-law who constantly opposed the heroine and fought with her out of jealousy.
Later, she became the fool who handed over the heroine’s golden opportunity for starting a business.
In the end, everyone turned against her. She was kicked off to the countryside and never returned to the city for the rest of her life.
Heh.
So in the entire book, Yang Lihua had only two purposes.
First, to highlight the heroine’s tolerance and virtue.
Second, to pass the cookbook into the heroine’s hands so she could get rich.
When she realized this, a surge of anger rushed straight to her head. Her hands and feet trembled uncontrollably.
“Lihua? What’s wrong? I’ve been calling you for ages. What are you thinking about?”
Su Meilan stopped sewing and looked at her with worry and confusion.
Seeing her daughter crouching there blankly, as if her soul had left her body, completely unlike her usual clever self.
It wasn’t that Su Meilan liked to boast, but her daughter was truly exceptional compared to other girls. If universities hadn’t been suspended, Lihua would definitely have gotten in. Their family might even have produced a government official to bring honor to their ancestors.
That quick mind of hers came from Su Meilan herself. No wonder she favored Lihua a little more among her daughters.
Yang Lihua suppressed the storm raging inside her heart. She bent down to pick up the fire tongs and tried to keep her voice normal.
“Mom, it’s nothing. My hand slipped just now. I scared myself.”
“Heh, such a big girl already and still so jumpy when doing things,” Su Meilan said before continuing her work.
Lixin might be getting married soon, so these shoe soles had to be finished quickly. Otherwise they wouldn’t be ready in time. And Lijun—he was still young, but his feet were growing fast. He would need new soles soon too.
“Mom, from what you’re saying, Zhou Hongxia sounds like a good girl. If things work out with big brother, that would be a good thing.”
Although Yang Lihua very much didn’t want Zhou Hongxia to marry into their family, the matter wasn’t something she could decide anyway.
But now that she knew the plot, she would definitely avoid walking the same path as before.
As for that cookbook—
Even if she burned it, she would never hand it over.
Of course, she wouldn’t actually burn it. Although she wasn’t interested in cooking, she wouldn’t let an outsider benefit from it—especially someone who might become her enemy.
Instead, since she knew the plot, she could seize the heroine’s opportunities ahead of time.
Thinking about it like that instantly filled her with motivation again.
By the time dusk fell, her father Yang Daqiang and her eldest brother Yang Lixin returned home one after another.
Yang Daqiang was an old electrician at Xiangyang Steel Factory. His darkened face showed the marks of years of hardship.
Behind him was Yang Lixin, who had entered the same factory a few years ago through connections and became a regular electrician in the same department as his father.
Yang Lixin had inherited his father’s tall and sturdy build, but his personality was much more cheerful.
Yang Lihua placed the stewed cabbage and corn buns on the table, smiling as she said,
“Dad, Big Brother, you’re back!”
Her hands kept moving, but her eyes secretly observed her brother’s expression.
Clearly, he already knew about the upcoming blind date. His face couldn’t hide his anticipation and nervousness.
He had heard that the woman he would meet—her appearance, family background, and job—were all quite good.
“Mom, this weekend I’ll wear that new work uniform. The one I just received—I haven’t worn it yet.”
Their steel factory was a large enterprise. Wearing the factory uniform outside made people look respectable.
“Alright. When the time comes, let Lijuan iron it for you,” Su Meilan replied with a smile.
Yang Daqiang also looked up and said,
“Have Lijuan wash Lixin’s shoes in advance too. Just ironing the clothes won’t do.”
He was also very optimistic about this woman meeting Lixin, so their family had to take the matter seriously.
After saying that, his brows suddenly frowned.
“Where are the three of them—Lijuan and the others? It’s already dark and they still aren’t back.”
Although he mentioned Yang Lijuan, Yang Lishu, and Yang Lijun, his dissatisfaction was clearly directed at the two daughters.
Su Meilan also stopped working. The happiness she had felt earlier about the blind date disappeared.
“Who knows where those two girls ran off to. They’re already so grown up yet still don’t know how to help with the housework.”
Even though they were sisters, Yang Lihua had no intention of explaining anything for them.
Their sisterly relationship had never been good. The fact that she wasn’t kicking them while they were down was already generous enough.
There was no helping it. The family’s resources were limited.
If her sisters got them, she wouldn’t.
And in their parents’ eyes, even though she was slightly better than Yang Lijuan and Yang Lishu, the so-called favoritism toward her could never compare with their treatment of Yang Lixin and Yang Lijun.
She had to think more for herself.
In two months, she would graduate. She had no time to worry about other matters.
If she couldn’t find a job before then, she would have to go to the countryside.
And her parents definitely wouldn’t spend money or use connections to find her a job.