Chapter 1: Starting with a Battlefield

Chapter 1: Thrown into the Fray from the Start

It took Lu Xiang a long moment to collect herself before she had to concede the truth: she had transmigrated into a novel. The sight of a handsome stranger lying in the bed was quite a jolt.

Recalling the book's plot, last night should have been her wedding night, yet they hadn't consummated the marriage, sleeping fully clothed instead.

This marriage was considered a step up for her. Fu Qinhui was a college graduate from the village. In the 1970s, college students were highly esteemed, and when he was admitted to university, the entire village celebrated, much like someone achieving top honors in the ancient imperial examinations.

Fu Qinhui was the youngest son in his family, exceptionally handsome, and most of the village girls dreamed of marrying him.

But Lu Xiang was a stand-in bride. With dawn approaching, this absurd situation was about to be exposed.

The village was conservative, and this incident would undoubtedly become the talk of the town. Fu Qinhui was originally supposed to marry Lu Zhaodi, Lu Xiang’s cousin. Lu Zhaodi’s father was the village clerk, a minor official who, though not as influential as the village chief, still held a respectable position.

In contrast, Lu Xiang’s parents were ordinary farmers.

Given their respective backgrounds, the Fu family naturally had their preferences.

According to the book, after daybreak, the truth would come to light. Lu Xiang’s parents would face severe criticism. Having lived honest lives, they couldn't bear the shame and would commit suicide by charcoal burning at home within a few days.

It was truly not worth it—a good marriage leading to the destruction of a family.

But at this moment, Lu Xiang felt a surge of anger. This was utterly unfair!

The night before the wedding, her grandmother and eldest aunt had come to plead with Lu Xiang’s parents, claiming that Lu Zhaodi had fallen for someone else. They argued that since Fu Qinhui was a college graduate and worked as an accountant at the supply and marketing cooperative, he was an ideal son-in-law, a catch too good to let slip away. Since Lu Xiang was about the same age as Lu Zhaodi, she should marry him instead. After all, Fu Qinhui had just returned to the village and wasn't familiar with the bride. Moreover, with the red wedding veil covering her face during the ceremony, no one would notice the switch.

Lu Xiang’s father, Lu Danian, disagreed. He had only three daughters, and Lu Xiang was the youngest. Although girls weren't as valued as boys in the village, she was still his child. The idea of a substitute bride was disgraceful. Lu Danian, an honest man, wanted his mother to explain the situation properly. What kind of behavior was it to marry off a daughter on the sly?

But he was harshly scolded by his mother. Lu Danian, who had always been a pushover and controlled by his mother, could only hang his head in shame and reluctantly agree. Little did he know, this was the beginning of a tragic fate.

Although Fu Qinhui didn’t recognize Lu Xiang, his mother, Xiao Cailian, did. The next day, when the newlyweds went to serve wedding tea, Xiao Cailian immediately noticed the switch and landed a slap across Lu Xiang’s face before dragging her to the Lu family’s home to demand an explanation.

Lu Xiang was a budding beauty, even more attractive than Lu Zhaodi, but that was no excuse for the Lu family’s deception.

Lu Xiang, inheriting her parents’ honesty, thought that if the two families talked things out at the Lu residence, everything would be resolved.

However, to protect the bride price and their reputation, her grandmother and eldest aunt denied everything, claiming they knew nothing about the switch. They even scolded Lu Xiang, emphasizing how important a woman’s reputation was and accusing her of stealing her cousin’s fiancé, an act worthy of public scorn.

Lu Xiang was stunned. The ensuing gossip, combined with the news of her parents’ suicide, became the final straw that broke the camel’s back. She went mad.

The above was the story from the novel *The Fortunate Wife of the 1980s* she had read. The female protagonist was Lu Xiang’s cousin, Lu Zhaodi, while Lu Xiang was the cannon fodder supporting character, always highlighting the protagonist’s excellence, even having her marriage manipulated.

In the end, Lu Xiang’s family was destroyed—some dead, some insane—while Lu Zhaodi married well and became the envy of everyone. Who would have thought that Lu Xiang would transmigrate into this story? This ending sucked, and she had to change it!

Outside, the sky was already turning light. In less than an hour, all hell would break loose.

Lu Xiang regretted not transmigrating earlier. If she had arrived before the wedding, she could have exposed their shameless scheme right then. But since the ceremony had already taken place, the situation had become complicated.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Xiang looked at Fu Qinhui’s handsome profile and made up her mind: she would stir up trouble! Before transmigrating, she had run a private kitchen and had culinary skills. She wasn’t afraid of going hungry in this era.

She just felt a bit sorry for Fu Qinhui. He was a good man.

According to the book, after Lu Xiang went mad, her neglectful grandmother and uncle ignored her out of shame. Only Fu Qinhui took care of her. When she eventually fell to her death from a mountain, it was Fu Qinhui who retrieved her body. Though they had never consummated their marriage, he had done his duty by her.

The female protagonist, Lu Zhaodi, had indirectly caused Lu Xiang’s death but ended up marrying a considerate man and living a privileged life in the 1980s.

The more Lu Xiang thought about it, the less she could sleep. She simply sat up.

Fu Qinhui, a light sleeper, also opened his eyes. “Why are you up so early?” he asked. He had never spoken to a woman before and didn’t know how to interact with her.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Lu Xiang replied before getting out of bed.

The impending events weighed on her mind like a heavy stone.

She decided to get up, went to the yard, scooped a basin of water from the vat, washed her face briefly, and headed to the kitchen.

The Fu family’s four sons and their widowed mother all lived together. The stove was a traditional rural earthen one, which required skill to use properly. If not handled correctly, it would fill the room with smoke.

Fortunately, Lu Xiang was familiar with this type of stove and quickly got it lit.

The Fu family had celebrated the wedding the day before, hiring a cook. There were four or five leftover dishes but no staple food. Lu Xiang simply cooked a pot of mixed-grain porridge. She also found some coarse flour. The food in the 1980s contained no additives, and the flour emitted a natural fragrance when she opened the bag.

Coarse grains could be rough on the throat if not prepared well, but Lu Xiang had a unique method to retain their natural flavor and improve their texture.

She began kneading the dough but quickly grew tired. No wonder such a pretty girl like her remained unmarried—she was a sickly weakling.

Lu Xiang started the fire, boiling porridge below and steaming coarse bread above. Soon, a light, sweet aroma wafted through the air. It wasn’t overpowering but acted like a little hook, teasing everyone’s appetite.

The Fu family had feasted the day before during the wedding. The brothers, sisters-in-law, and nephews had all eaten their fill, but after a night’s sleep, their stomachs were empty again.

Just when they were feeling hungry, the sweet, fragrant smell of food reached them, making their stomachs growl.

Third Brother Fu and his wife were too tempted to sleep. “Who’s cooking? What is it that smells so good?” they wondered. It was still early dawn, not yet time to start the day’s work.

“Could it be Eldest Sister-in-law?” Third Brother Fu asked.

Third Sister-in-law Fu immediately dismissed the idea. “No offense, but even the dog wouldn’t eat her cooking. Second Sister-in-law is too stingy—her food is always bland. Could it be from the west room?”

Third Brother Fu said, “I never heard that Lu Zhaodi had such skills.”

The aroma made Third Sister-in-law Fu too restless to sleep. She decided to get up and investigate. Before she left, Third Brother Fu said, “Bring me back something tasty if there’s any.” He was greedy and lazy, wanting to eat but unwilling to get up.

Third Sister-in-law Fu agreed and stepped outside, where she ran into her mother-in-law, Xiao Cailian.

Third Sister-in-law Fu was always smooth with words. “Mom, I smelled something delicious early on. Fourth Sister-in-law is so diligent, already up and working.”

Xiao Cailian, pleased by the praise, replied, “Of course. I personally picked her for Qin Hui. She won’t disappoint.”

Just then, Fu Qinhui returned from the village well, carrying water to fill the large vat in the yard.

“Mom, Third Sister-in-law,” Fu Qinhui greeted them.

Third Sister-in-law Fu laughed. “You just got married yesterday, and you’re not even tired? Still up working today?” She chuckled before adding, “Your wife is making breakfast. I wonder what she’s cooking that smells so good. Let’s go take a look.”

As she spoke to Fu Qinhui, Xiao Cailian, being impatient, couldn’t wait and went to the kitchen to see her new daughter-in-law.

She thought to herself how diligent Fourth Sister-in-law was, already working early in the morning, unlike the other three lazy daughters-in-law. But unprepared for what she would see, she stepped into the kitchen and gasped, “Why is it you?”