Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In the winter of 1969, the biting cold woke up the woman lying in bed. She opened her eyes with difficulty, her mind buzzing and unable to comprehend what had happened for a long time. She then moved her stiff body, slowly sitting up and turning her head to look around in confusion.

She remembered that she should be dead.

Not far from her was a broken window, the outside covered in thick snow. Cold white light shone through the window, clearly revealing the uneven ground and cracks on the walls. Jin Xiuzhu frowned; this destitute place was even worse than her childhood home.

She raised her hand to rub her aching forehead, suddenly hearing breathing beside her. Her movement paused, and just as she was about to turn to look, her head felt like it was being pierced by countless needles. Strangers' memories flooded her mind.

After a long while, the pain subsided. She took a deep breath to steady herself, then seemed to recall something, turning her head towards the side. A thoughtful expression appeared on her face as she looked at the man lying on his back, a thin blanket hanging over his waist, revealing a strong and muscular back.

Jin Xiuzhu struggled internally, glancing around again, and finally, with a bite of determination, pulled the blanket back over her and lay down, closing her eyes tightly.

At dawn, before the sun had risen, a girl wearing a faded blue coat walked toward a small room with a basin of hot water. Before knocking, she stopped to touch her freshly braided hair, ensuring it wasn't disheveled, then knocked on the door with a deliberately coy smile.

She knocked twice, but there was no response. Thinking her knocks were too soft, she knocked harder, waiting for a moment, but still, there was no movement.

She thought of something, her gaze flickering, then glanced around the courtyard. Seeing no one, she cautiously peered through the door crack. She couldn't see clearly, so she pushed the door slightly. To her surprise, the door swung open, revealing a man and a woman sleeping intimately together.

Facing her direction, the man's eyes were closed, his rugged face with a nose like a mountain peak, his thin lips slightly pursed. Even in sleep, he exuded an aura that made others hesitant to approach. The woman in his arms slept against his chest, only her dark head and half of her profile visible.

But Fu Meiyun recognized them instantly. She exploded, slamming down the iron basin in her hands and screaming, "Jin Xiuzhu, you shameless woman, I'll fight you to the death—"

The piercing sound echoed throughout the courtyard, startling the elderly couple cooking in the kitchen. They hurried out to investigate, "What's all the noise this early in the morning? We have guests."

The couple sleeping in another small room were awakened by the commotion, grumbling as they got up to open the door, "What's with all the racket this early?"

The woman pinched her husband's waist hard, complaining bitterly, "Who has a spinster sister-in-law who won't marry and goes crazy in her in-laws' house every day?"

Before the man could respond, he heard his mother yelling, "Elder son, come quickly and beat this shameless woman. Look at what she's done."

He furrowed his brow but still put on his shoes and headed to the other small room. Upon entering, he saw three women fighting, mainly his mother and sister trying to pull Jin Xiuzhu from the bed, while Jin Xiuzhu clung to the blanket, desperately trying to evade them. In between them was a shirtless man, Jiang Mingchuan, his brother's comrade who had visited their home the previous day.

Jiang Mingchuan hadn't fully dressed, hastily pulling his pants on without zipping them. The situation was clear to anyone who saw it.

His face was grim as he sat stiffly on the bed. Seeing Jin Xiuzhu's hair being grabbed, he reached out to stop it, his face darkening. This only further infuriated his mother and sister, who turned to scratch him, leaving several red marks and some broken skin on his body...

Finally, the old man at the door couldn't bear it anymore and shouted, "Enough!"

The loud voice silenced everyone in the room. The old man turned to his son with a stern face, "Go get the in-laws."

The old woman in the room raged, "What in-laws? I don't have such in-laws. Look at the kind of family they've raised."

Jin Xiuzhu touched her sore scalp, remaining silent with her head lowered. After the chaos, she had regained her clarity, realizing that she had been reborn in the body of a woman with the same name.

Last night, when she woke up, the original "Jin Xiuzhu" had overheard her mother-in-law planning to marry her daughter to her son's comrade, which sparked a different idea in her mind. Her thoughts were simple: why should her unmarried sister marry such a good person and live a life of luxury in the city, while she suffered in the countryside?

Now that her husband was dead and she had no sons, endless hardships awaited her. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. So, she decided to cook a bowl of medicine for the man to treat his fever. The medicine was prescribed by the village herbalist for her daughter's recent cough and fever. Its only side effect was drowsiness after consumption.

The man had walked over ten kilometers yesterday afternoon. During dinner, the old man brought out his treasured wine, but the man said he had a fever and couldn't drink. "Jin Xiuzhu" overheard this and came up with the plan.

As for the current Jin Xiuzhu, she was accustomed to the luxurious life in the Marquis Mansion. Why would she want to stay in this impoverished village?

So, she decided to go through with the plan.

The Jin family arrived soon, followed by their eldest and second daughters who had come to visit for the New Year. Since it was a scandal, the sons-in-law weren't invited.

As soon as Jin's mother entered, she went straight for Jin Xiuzhu, calling her shameless for doing such a disgraceful thing.

Jin Xiuzhu, already dressed, stood at the entrance of the main room. Seeing her mother charge at her, she quickly hid behind Jiang Mingchuan, who was sitting on a stool.

Jiang Mingchuan sat upright, his fists clenched tightly, restraining his temper.

Throughout his life, he had faced countless setbacks, but never had he felt so humiliated that he wanted to dig a hole and hide. Sensing Jin Xiuzhu's actions, he pursed his lips tightly and looked up at the middle-aged woman rushing towards them.

His icy gaze choked the words in Jin's mother's throat, leaving her glaring fiercely at Jin Xiuzhu instead.

Despite their anger, neither family dared to escalate the situation. The Fu family still wanted to maintain their reputation through their deceased second son. If word of this incident spread, it would ruin their standing. Rural gossips could twist the truth, and both families had young ones to marry off in a few years. Making a scene would only make matters worse.

With these considerations, both families began scheming. Although they didn't want to make a big deal, they still argued. The Fu family demanded the return of the two hundred yuan dowry, but the Jin family refused, insisting that their daughter had been fine until she came to the Fu household, implying that the Fu family's poor morals had influenced her...

In the end, they blamed each other, demanding compensation.

As the argument intensified, the women from both families started fighting physically. While the Fu family's mother and daughter were already fierce, the Jin family's trio proved even more formidable, overpowering the Fu women and pinning them to the ground. The Fu men, small and timid, shouted for them to stop, while the daughter-in-law did nothing, even sneering behind her hand.

Chaos erupted once again in the main room.

Eventually, it was Jiang Mingchuan, sitting quietly in the corner, who couldn't bear it anymore. He took out two hundred yuan to settle the matter, giving one hundred to each family.

After a brief lull, the families resumed arguing over Jin Xiuzhu. The Jin family claimed that a married daughter was like water spilled out, no longer part of their family. The Fu family also denied responsibility, questioning if Jin Xiuzhu's child was truly their grandchild, given her shameful behavior.

Jiang Mingchuan, growing impatient, interrupted them coldly, "I will marry her."

Jin Xiuzhu had been watching indifferently, but upon hearing this, she looked at the man with a hint of surprise. She had been pondering how to cling to him, but he had taken the initiative. Last night, they hadn't done anything; he had been manipulated by both "Jin Xiuzhu" and herself.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't know what happened next. Hearing cries from the room, she knew the child must have woken up. Driven by an inexplicable connection, she returned to the room.

Since "Jin Xiuzhu's" husband died six months ago, she and her child had been relegated to this small, damp, and dim northern room. The original room was given to Fu Meiyun. This time, it was only because Jiang Mingchuan had visited that they had offered it to him.

The money for renovating the house had come from "Jin Xiuzhu's" late husband.

The real "Jin Xiuzhu" had indeed led a tragic life. With two older sisters and a younger brother, she was the least favored. She thought marrying a capable man would improve her life, but he was often absent, her mother-in-law was unkind, her sister-in-law was unsympathetic, and she had a meddling sister. Her life was a constant struggle.

Jin Xiuzhu awkwardly picked up the child to soothe her. The little girl was light, her face thin and sallow. When Jin Xiuzhu approached, she whimpered softly before closing her eyes again, seemingly still feverish.

It was evident that the child wasn't well-cared for, a stark contrast to the pampered children in the Marquis Mansion.

She tenderly touched the child's rough cheek, preparing to lay her back down so she could continue sleeping. Just then, someone else entered the room. Turning around, she saw "Jin Xiuzhu's" second sister.

Jin Yuzhu, her second sister, shot her a somewhat envious glance. She had originally come over to inquire about Jiang Mingchuan, but couldn't help but speak with a tinge of jealousy, "You're quite fortunate, to have such a stroke of luck. From what I heard from your mother-in-law, that man is a high-ranking official. You'll be living the good life from now on."

She felt a pang of resentment as she spoke. Never had she imagined that Lao San, who had always kept her head down and worked hard, would end up marrying so well. In fact, it was initially her own match that the Fu family had proposed. But she had been cautious, having heard that the Jin family wasn't easy to get along with, and suggested to Mother that Xiao Mei should be the one to marry into the Fu family. After all, the dowry the Jin family offered was substantial, and Mother wouldn't have been able to refuse.

She had never regretted her decision, given that Lao San hadn't fared well after her marriage. But who knew that things would turn out this way? Fu Jianguo couldn't compare to this man—not just in terms of appearance, but also in his straightforward manner. He fell short in every respect.

"Still, what you did today was rather embarrassing. He probably hates you now. Don't be fooled by his kind words; it might be difficult for him to actually marry you. We don't even know where he's from. If he disappears, we'll be in trouble. I think it'd be better for you to stay with the Fu family. After all, Xiao Yan bears the Fu name."

Jin Xiuzhu could tell what her second sister meant right away. Clearly, she couldn't bear to see her doing well.

Having lived within the inner quarters for years, she was accustomed to the masters speaking in veiled terms. It was rare to hear someone express their thoughts so candidly.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't indulge her. She chuckled lightly. "Second Sister, you've really reminded me. I'll pack my things right now and leave whenever he does."

Jin Yuzhu: "…"

That wasn't what she meant.

True to her word, when Jiang Mingchuan finished handling his affairs and prepared to leave, Jin Xiuzhu joined him. He had agreed with Mr. and Mrs. Fu that he had other matters to attend to and would return in five days to fetch Jin Xiuzhu and her daughter.

The elderly couple from the Fu family weren't too pleased, but their eldest daughter-in-law was. After all, Jiang Mingchuan had provided generously. He handed over the last thirty yuan and five jin of food coupons he had on him. Since they were only staying for five days, it wasn't a bad deal.

Unexpectedly, as Jiang Mingchuan stepped out, Jin Xiuzhu followed closely behind him, carrying her child and a small bag slung over her arm.

Frowning, Jiang Mingchuan wasn't sure how to react. He took a deep breath, not looking at her, and instead focused his gaze on the tree branches in the distance. He said curtly, "Stay here for now. I'll come back for you in a few days. I still have some business to take care of."

Jin Xiuzhu kept her head down, playing the part of a docile wife, but her voice was clear. "My second sister told me to stick close to you. She said we don't know where you're from. If you run off, we won't know where to look."

Coincidentally, Jin Yuzhu was watching nearby. Upon hearing this, her smile froze.

Jiang Mingchuan looked at her. Though he said nothing, his eyes were cold.

Everything he had experienced thus far made him realize that neither the Fu family, his comrade's family, nor the Jin family were easy to deal with.

He knew he had been taken advantage of, yet he couldn't bring himself to abandon them.

Jiang Mingchuan thought for a moment and said, "I'll keep my word and return in five days. It's inconvenient to travel with you, especially since the child is still young."

He glanced at her, expecting her to understand his intentions, then turned and walked away.

However, after taking a few steps, he heard footsteps following him. He stopped and looked back. Jin Xiuzhu had also stopped, still holding her child, but avoided meeting his gaze.

"…"

Jin Xiuzhu looked down at the child in her arms, thinking that it was precisely because of the child that she needed to stay close. Who knew what could happen in five days?

She never trusted men's promises—she only believed in herself.

Perhaps sensing Jin Xiuzhu's determination, Jiang Mingchuan didn't say anything else.

They walked one after the other. As they moved further away, Jiang Mingchuan stopped and took the sleeping child from Jin Xiuzhu's arms.

Mother Jin watched their retreating figures and spat to the side. "She's certainly living the good life now."

Jin Yuzhu remained silent.

At that moment, she felt a deep sense of regret. She suddenly realized that her younger sister, whom she had always looked down upon, seemed to have found an exceptional man.