Chapter One: The Posthumous Child

Chapter One: The Posthumous Child

Lin Qiuran opened her eyes to the familiar sight of dun-brown rafters and a dirt-yellow roof, so low it felt suffocating. Another night had passed, and she still hadn't returned to the modern era. It seemed she had truly transmigrated.

Two days prior, she had found herself in the body of a young woman from an ancient farming family. The original host had married Xiao Xun from a neighboring village just over two months ago. On the third day of their marriage, her husband had left to join the army, leaving the original host to live with her in-laws.

The elderly Xiao couple were reasonably kind, and with no other younger siblings-in-law, the original host's life could be described as leisurely and comfortable—until the devastating news arrived.

Three days ago, the village head came to the Xiao family to inform them that Xiao Xun had died in battle, his body never recovered.

Upon hearing this, Sun Shi, the original host's mother-in-law, fainted on the spot. As for the new bride, the shock of becoming a widow so soon after marriage was too much to bear, and she too collapsed, unconscious.

When she awoke, it was Lin Qiuran.

After regaining consciousness, Lin Qiuran was told by Sun Shi some news that, while not ideal for her, was a godsend for the Xiao family: she was pregnant.

For Lin Qiuran, this was a bolt from the blue. Her husband was dead, but he had left behind a posthumous child.

The original host was only eighteen, with a long life ahead of her.

But Lin Qiuran was not the original host. To her, the child was merely an embryo. She had no emotional connection to Xiao Xun—they had never even met. Why should she bear his child? Especially since the Xiao family was just an ordinary farming household, living in a three-room adobe house with simple wooden furniture. They were poor, worlds away from the modern society Lin Qiuran was accustomed to. Giving birth and raising a child here would be nothing but hardship.

If she stayed with the Xiao family to care for the child, her life would be ruined. A woman, and a widow at that—while the elderly couple were still around to help, once they passed away, she would be left alone with the child, and life would become truly difficult. A widow’s life was often fraught with gossip, especially since the original host was quite beautiful.

Even if Sun Shi pleaded with her to keep the child and promised to raise it herself, Sun Shi was already in her forties. By the time the child grew a little older, she and her husband would be pushing sixty. If anything happened to them, the child would be left alone and pitiful. Even more pitiful would be Lin Qiuran as the mother—would she take responsibility or not? Bringing the child into the world would only mean adding a burden.

Yet, for the elderly Xiao couple, this news was a lifeline they clung to desperately.

Xiao Xun was their only son. With him gone, the unborn child became their only hope. Ancient people placed great importance on carrying on the family line, and besides, this child was a continuation of Xiao Xun’s life.

After Sun Shi regained consciousness and learned of Lin Qiuran’s pregnancy, she was a mix of tears and laughter. Over the past two days, she had slaughtered one of their chickens to make tonic soup for Lin Qiuran. Neither Sun Shi nor her husband touched the soup themselves, and even when Lin Qiuran tried to offer it to them, they refused.

Though Sun Shi hadn't explicitly said it, her intention was clear: they wanted Lin Qiuran to keep the child.

Had it been the original host, she might have agreed. But it was Lin Qiuran who was here now.

Lin Qiuran was determined not to keep the child. What worried her was the lack of modern medical facilities—having an abortion would be detrimental to her health. Occasionally, she felt sorry for Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi, but she quickly suppressed such thoughts. Showing pity for others at a time like this would only harm herself.

What troubled Lin Qiuran now was how to break the news to Sun Shi. Having just lost her son, if Lin Qiuran told her she wanted to abort the child, Sun Shi would likely be devastated and unable to recover. If anything happened to her as a result, Lin Qiuran would feel like a murderer. Sun Shi had been kind to her these past few days, always cooking for her and showing concern. Lin Qiuran didn’t want anything bad to happen to her.

But the pregnancy was already over two months along. If she waited any longer, it would be too late.

After staying cooped up for two days, Lin Qiuran decided to go out for a walk, hoping she might come up with an idea—like sending a message to her maiden family.

As she stepped out of the house, she recalled that the Xiao family had once been doing reasonably well in the village, thanks to the two grown men in the household. These past few days, she had overheard villagers expressing their regret, saying, "Xiao Xun was such a tall and strong man, and such a skilled hunter. How could he just be gone?"

Today, as Lin Qiuran ventured outside, she heard someone say, "Ah, isn’t that Xiao’s wife? She looks like she’s doing better. Thankfully, she’s carrying his child—at least the Xiao family won’t be left without descendants."

"That’s not necessarily true. The Lin family village must have heard the news by now. They’ll surely come to fetch her back. She’s just been married and is already a widow—her maiden family won’t be happy about it. They’ll definitely want her to remarry."

Lin Qiuran breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that her maiden family already knew. She wouldn’t have to trouble herself with sending a message. Though she had no intention of remarrying, she planned to take this chance to return to her maiden family first.

"But what about the child? If it’s born without a mother? It’s bad enough without a father, but if the mother doesn’t want it either, how pitiful."

"That’s just fate. Leave it for the Xiao family to raise. At least it’s a keepsake of him."

"It would be better if she stayed. Once she married into the Xiao family, she became one of them. How can she just have her way?"

Lin Qiuran couldn’t help but think: the child was pitiful, Sun Shi was pitiful, but wasn’t the original host pitiful too? She was only eighteen—in another time, she wouldn’t even have started university yet. Lin Qiuran took a deep breath, steeling her resolve to leave. In her previous life, her parents had been banquet cooks in the village. She had learned cooking by observing them, and when short videos became popular, she started filming herself cooking and learning new skills, eventually becoming a fairly popular blogger.

With the skills from her past life, she wouldn’t have to worry about going hungry once she returned to her maiden family.

After walking around the village, which was quite large, Lin Qiuran knew she had to plan for the worst-case scenario.

When she returned home, Sun Shi had prepared another chicken soup for her. Having lost her son, Sun Shi looked wan and listless, her eyes red and swollen like walnuts—a sight that tugged at her heartstrings.

Xiao Dashi sat nearby, eating with his head down. His skin was dark, and he sighed between bites.

Burying your child was something no parent could easily bear. Lin Qiuran kept her head down, avoiding their gaze. After a moment’s thought, she pushed the bowl of chicken toward them. "You should eat some too. My husband may be gone, but life goes on. Don’t let sorrow ruin your health."

Sun Shi nodded, tears welling in her eyes again. The three of them finished their meal in silence, and Sun Shi cleared away the bowls.

Lin Qiuran returned to her room to rest. The original host’s body had been weakened from the shock, and these past two days, Lin Qiuran had been restless. Half-asleep, she heard voices outside.

"Sister Sun, I’ve come to see my daughter."

Sun Shi replied, "Please come in, kinswoman. With Xiao Xun gone, Qiu Ran is heartbroken. Comfort her a little."

Liu Shi entered the room. Lin Qiuran opened her eyes and sat up. Since Sun Shi had called this woman "kinswoman," she guessed this was the original host’s mother.

Liu Shi rushed to the bedside, crying, "My poor daughter! Widowed so soon after marriage. What will you do now?"

Lin Qiuran opened her mouth. "Mother."

Liu Shi wiped her tears and stopped crying. Glancing toward the door, she lowered her voice. "I heard you’re pregnant. What are your plans? In my opinion, you can’t keep this child. Who will raise it if you do? Your in-laws are old, and that good-for-nothing Xiao Xun died too young. The burden will fall on you. As a woman, it’ll be even harder to remarry with a child."

Lin Qiuran kept her head down. Liu Shi continued, "Listen to me. Have the abortion and come home with me. After some time, we’ll find you another husband."

Lin Qiuran knew that if she said she didn’t want to remarry, Liu Shi would never agree. She planned to return to her maiden family first and figure things out later. "I’ve been thinking the same, but Xiao Xun just passed away. If I have an abortion now, my in-laws might not be able to take it."

Liu Shi glanced at Lin Qiuran’s stomach. "We can’t delay any longer. In a couple of days, I’ll have your brother come get you. We’ll discuss the rest once you’re home. Your sister-in-law may have a sharp tongue, but she won’t be heartless in a situation like this."

Lowering her voice even further, Liu Shi advised, "These next few days, keep a steady head. Don’t say anything you shouldn’t at a time like this. Alas, there’s no other way. The living are more important than the dead. Xiao Xun was just unlucky. Don’t listen to any gossip outside—this isn’t your fault."

With such a tragedy happening so soon after the marriage, Liu Shi was afraid people would say her daughter had cursed him.

Lin Qiuran nodded. "I’ll listen to you."

First, she would leave the Xiao family. Everything else could wait.

Liu Shi patted her daughter’s shoulder and urged her to eat well. "Take care of your health. Xiao Xun is gone, but you must live well. There are better days ahead."

With that, Liu Shi took a handful of coppers from her pocket. "Take these. Your sister-in-law manages the household, so I don’t have much. Buy yourself something nourishing. If your in-laws try to guilt you, you mustn’t soften your heart. Even if they kneel and beg you, you cannot agree to keep the child!"

Lin Qiuran replied, "I understand."

Liu Shi stayed a little longer. "I should go now. Take care of yourself."

After Liu Shi left, Lin Qiuran counted the coins—eight in total. She put them away and took out a small money pouch from the cupboard. Inside was a little over a tael of silver. She wasn’t sure if it was part of her dowry or something else.

Liu Shi had said her brother would come for her in a couple of days. When she left, she would take her dowry with her but leave half a tael of silver for Sun Shi and her husband, so they wouldn’t struggle too much in the future.

Soon, the sun set. Sun Shi knocked on the door and called Lin Qiuran for dinner.

On the table was the leftover chicken stew from lunch. Sun Shi placed a chicken drumstick in Lin Qiuran’s bowl. "Eat up."

Lin Qiuran had rice in her bowl, but Sun Shi and her husband had thin gruel.

The two of them looked listless and downcast. Lin Qiuran felt sorry for them, but when she thought about her future, she knew she had to prioritize herself. If she had money in the future, she would come back to visit them often. Without Xiao Xun and with no other children, the elderly couple would be left with no one.

After the meal, Lin Qiuran wanted to help clean up, but Sun Shi stopped her, saying, "Go rest in your room."

Lin Qiuran didn’t know when to bring up the topic of her natal family coming to take her back. Seeing Sun Shi like this, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

It was already dark outside, and Lin Qiuran planned to go to sleep when Sun Shi’s voice came from outside the door, "Qiu Ran, are you asleep? Your father and I would like to talk with you."

Lin Qiuran thought the two were probably coming to persuade her to keep the child.

She knew this moment would come eventually. Lin Qiuran slipped on her clothes and opened the door, saying, "Father, Mother, please come in."

After entering, Xiao Dashi kept his head down without saying a word, while Sun Shi managed a smile at Lin Qiuran—though her smile looked more like a grimace.

Sun Shi said, "Qiu Ran, Xiao Xun has wronged you, leaving you alone so soon after marriage. Our Xiao family has also failed you. Your father and I have discussed it—you’re still young, and there’s a long road ahead. Life can’t stop just because Xiao Xun is gone.

In these times, raising a child will make remarrying difficult. So, we've been thinking, why not take you as our own daughter? We’ll provide a dowry for your remarriage. As for the child… it’s better to terminate the pregnancy so it won't hinder your chances of remarrying."