Wang Ying never would’ve thought that after being single until death in her previous life, in this one she’d have to rush to find a husband before aging out of the market.
After thinking it over, Wang Ying could only regretfully conclude that in the original host’s memory, there simply weren’t any high-quality men to choose from.
There were a few bachelors in the brigade, but anyone still unmarried by this point had some kind of issue — either with their personality or because their families were dirt poor.
Wang Ying couldn’t possibly choose someone like that. Even if it meant taking in a live-in husband, she wouldn’t want one of those kinds.
Besides, even for a marriage of convenience, the other party had to at least be presentable. She couldn’t just grab the first man she saw and marry him, right?
Aside from those bachelors, there were a few others around her age, but Wang Ying didn’t have any strong impressions of them, so for the time being, she couldn’t settle on anyone.
After weighing her options, she realized that the educated youths might actually be her best bet.
Wang Ying thought, it’s only in this decade that the educated youths can’t return to the city, and she herself needed a stable home environment. They could team up — each getting what they needed.
When the college entrance exam was reinstated, even if the man returned to the city, at least she would’ve enjoyed a few years of peaceful life.
Once the exams were back and the environment opened up, she could do whatever she wanted.
Having thought through everything, Wang Ying now had a plan.
At that moment, a voice called from outside: “Sanya! Sanya! Come eat!”
Her eldest uncle, Wang Yongshun, had already returned and was sitting at the table with a big smile, in front of a steaming pot of fragrant chicken stew.
Maybe because she saw hope that Wang Ying might finally be married off, Li Chunjuan was also acting much more amiably.
“Come on and try some — this is wind-dried chicken pieces, just the smell is enough to make your mouth water!”
Wang Lingling had gone to the Xu family to trade for chicken meat. What she got were dried chicken pieces — Xu Shuang was a cook, and her cured and dried goods were better than anyone else’s.
Take the chicken, for instance: the meat was split open and coated with a mix of salt and crushed spices, evenly rubbed in, then set out to dry. During the process, it would be seasoned two more times, and around New Year’s, even brushed with a bit of sugar.
After all that, the chicken had a firm texture and a rich aroma that could be smelled from far away.
Li Chunjuan’s cooking skills were mediocre — not great, not terrible. She simply tossed the chicken into the pot with a large heap of cabbage and potatoes. The result was a big, fragrant stew. Whatever wasn’t finished today could be reheated tomorrow with a few more vegetables thrown in. Dishes with meat flavor could be stretched out for four or five days.
Wang Lingling sat at the table, eating half-heartedly.
Having eaten plenty of good food in her past life — especially with Xu Shuang never skimping on her — she had become picky when it came to meals.
The chicken had too many vegetables, making the dish taste bland. Wang Lingling secretly resented Li Chunjuan for being so stingy — just half a chicken, and even that had to be stretched for the whole family. Was this a meat dish or just vegetable stew?
It was her eighteenth birthday, for heaven’s sake!
“By the way, Lingling, you didn’t see Xu Shuang at their place? It’s your birthday today and he didn’t even show a gesture?”
Li Chunjuan’s chopsticks were landing like raindrops, yet she still managed to squeeze in questions mid-bite — truly a talent.
Wang Lingling poked at her rice bowl and replied, “No… His mom wasn’t home either.”
Li Chunjuan frowned. “Then how’d you get the chicken?”
Wang Lingling muttered, “It was hanging from the beam. I just took it. Why’re you asking so much? I left money anyway.”
Li Chunjuan looked a little disappointed. “I just thought, if Xu Shuang had been there, you probably wouldn’t have had to pay. And really, Xu Shuang — it’s your birthday and he didn’t even think to send a little something?”
Thinking about how emotionally detached Xu Shuang had been in her previous life, Wang Lingling grumbled, “He’s so stiff-headed!”
Li Chunjuan didn’t press further. No matter how stiff Xu Shuang was, he still had a stable job as a public cook — far better than the other men in the brigade looking for wives.
Wang Yongshun cleared his throat. “Alright, enough about that. Young people forget things sometimes — it’s normal.”
He wasn’t as clueless as Li Chunjuan. Across the entire commune, someone like Xu Shuang was rare even if you searched with a lantern. Just for the sake of better food in the future, he was already very satisfied with this match.
Because he was so happy with the match, Wang Yongshun was very forgiving toward Wang Lingling.
His eldest daughter, Wang Pingping, had already married into the town — a very good match, bringing in a bride price of a full hundred yuan.
Wang Yongshun calculated in his head — Wang Lingling was now eighteen, and next month she could register her marriage with Xu Shuang. With Xu Shuang’s qualifications, asking for 150 yuan wouldn’t be too much.
With that money, he could buy something nice for Yaozong.
He wasn’t like those dull farmers who only knew how to toil in the fields. His son Yaozong was his precious treasure, destined to live in the city — at the very least, to get a government job in town.
Wang Ying hadn’t said a word since she sat down. She kept her head down, focused only on eating.
If a few days ago she still had a calm, “live and let live” attitude toward her uncle’s family, now she didn’t have an ounce of patience left for them.
She had nothing more to say to these black-hearted people!
Hmm… but this wind-dried chicken — how was it made to be this good?
The chicken was chewy but not dry, and after soaking in the vegetables, it had developed an unexpectedly springy texture. Even the plain ingredients around the edges of the pot were delicious — the potatoes were soft and the cabbage sweet.
Before long, Wang Ying had eaten two full bowls.
Li Chunjuan’s heart ached watching it.
Wang Yongshun cleared his throat again, trying to get Wang Ying’s attention.
He hadn’t called her over with such fanfare just for a small birthday dinner.
“Sanya, look at your sister Lingling — she’s already an adult, and her marriage is set. You’re the only girl left in our family now. Your parents passed early, and especially before your mother died, she asked me to look after you… Uncle knows you’ve been wronged before, but we’re still family. Blood is thicker than water. You’re already seventeen — I can’t just take care of Lingling and not you… I had your aunt check out a few families for you. They’re all decent folks. Would you like to meet them?”
Wang Ying asked nonchalantly, “Which family did Auntie pick for me?”
Li Chunjuan had expected it to take a good bit of persuasion to convince Wang Ying, but to her surprise, Wang Ying asked so directly.
But then again, it made sense. As a young girl, Wang Ying likely wouldn’t dare to completely fall out with her only remaining relatives. If she did, could she even return to her maiden home in the future?
Li Chunjuan quickly added, “His surname is Zhao. He’s from the neighboring commune. Even though it’s a different commune, it’s not far away at all. The young man is a platoon leader in the army. I saw his photo—he looks really spirited… Sanya, your Auntie may have been foolish in the past, but I’ve always had your best interests at heart. Just look at this match—he’s one of the best around here! In the army, food and board are free, and he gets a monthly allowance of dozens of yuan. Look at me, I really went out of my way for you, didn’t I?”
“The young man is serious too. He said he’ll be coming back in a few days…”
“I don’t agree—”
Li Chunjuan instinctively responded, “Sanya, don’t be stubborn. This is such a good match…”
Halfway through her sentence, she realized something was wrong. That loud, almost throat-tearing shout hadn’t come from Wang Ying at all—it had come from her daughter, Wang Lingling.
Wang Lingling’s face was deathly pale, her whole body trembling with rage.
Only Wang Ying noticed how, ever since the Zhao family was mentioned, Wang Lingling’s expression had gone from shocked to furious, her entire being stretched taut like a drawn bowstring.
“I don’t agree!”
Li Chunjuan frowned, “Lingling, don’t interrupt. I’m talking to Sanya.”
Wang Lingling was too panicked to care anymore. The thought that she might have missed her chance with Zhao Jun made her tremble with fear.
“I said, I don’t agree! Why should she get to marry Zhao Jun?!”
Wang Lingling shouted with all the strength she had left.
Li Chunjuan looked confused. “Lingling, what are you talking about?”
Wang Yongshun also frowned deeply. “This has nothing to do with you. Who are you yelling at?”
Only Wang Ying’s eyes flickered thoughtfully.
Just now, when Li Chunjuan mentioned the Zhao family, she had only said “Zhao”—she hadn’t said the name “Zhao Jun” at all…
Even Wang Ying herself was hearing that name for the first time.
When Zhao’s old lady had come to gossip with Li Chunjuan in secret, she hadn’t mentioned that her third son’s name was Zhao Jun.
Wang Ying narrowed her eyes. This cousin of hers was getting more and more interesting.
First, she suddenly broke off her engagement with the man she had always boasted about, then she dragged Wang Ying out to eat meat buns, then she’d been acting all sneaky… and now she even blurted out Zhao Jun’s name.
Wang Ying had a theory.
Meanwhile, Wang Lingling had completely lost it. Her tears streamed down as she choked out, “I don’t want to marry Xu Shuang! Mom, why didn’t you match me with Zhao Jun?”
At first, Li Chunjuan was startled by her daughter’s tears, but when she heard that question, she couldn’t stay calm anymore. “Lingling! What are you saying?! Xu Shuang is such a good match and you don’t want him, but you want to marry into the Zhao family? Do you even know what the Zhao family is—”
Wang Yongshun quickly interrupted, “We’ve known Xu Shuang’s family for years. What’s the point of bringing this up now?”
Li Chunjuan, reminded that Wang Ying was still in the room, quickly held her tongue.
Wang Yongshun tried to smooth things over with a regretful tone, “Sanya, why don’t you go back for now. Your cousin didn’t sleep well—she’s just talking nonsense.”
Wang Ying blinked innocently. “But I’m not full yet…”
Wang Yongshun looked at Wang Lingling, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and made a decision. “Then take the whole pot of chicken with you. Your aunt and I have eaten enough.”
With food in hand, Wang Ying became much more agreeable. She picked up the pot of chicken stew and left.
After all, with just one room between them, she could still hear everything being said inside.
As soon as Wang Ying left, Wang Yongshun’s face darkened. “Spill it. What’s going on in your head? You’re throwing away Xu Shuang and insisting on marrying a divorced man?”
The fact that his daughter knew the man’s full name made it clear she’d known about the Zhao family for a while.
Wang Yongshun couldn’t tell whether he was more angry or confused, so he could only press his daughter for answers.
Wang Lingling wiped her tears. “You don’t understand. Zhao Jun is going to be a great success.”
Wang Yongshun snapped, “What does that have to do with you? He’s a divorced man. If you marry him, you’ll be a stepmother, a housemaid. How successful could he be? You think he’ll take you with him to the military?”
Wang Lingling stubbornly raised her chin. “You don’t get it!”
Zhao Jun really was going to be successful. He would voluntarily retire from the army, return home, and lead his whole family to wealth. He would be the first millionaire in the surrounding communes!
And not just a millionaire—he would become the wealthiest man around. His kids would be incredibly accomplished too!
Wang Lingling felt like her parents didn’t know talent when they saw it. Zhao Jun was like a stock destined to skyrocket. Marrying him now would be like investing early—just wait and watch it appreciate.
Wang Lingling pleaded, “Dad, let me marry Zhao Jun! I know all about his situation. I don’t care about being a stepmom. His kids are easy to deal with. I can handle it.”
As soon as she said that, before Wang Yongshun could respond, Li Chunjuan exploded.
She pointed at her daughter’s nose and started yelling, “Have you lost your mind or gone blind?! You think being a stepmother is easy?! If you marry him, you’ll be an outsider, a servant girl! He already has kids—you’ll be nothing in that house! Your sister married into town, and you want to marry a divorced man? How’s your brother going to hold his head up? What will people say when he tries to get married?”
Though Li Chunjuan loved her daughter dearly, the idea of her willingly becoming a stepmother infuriated her. Being a stepmother wasn’t easy!
Not only would she suffer and toil, but she’d also be watched by everyone. People in the village would all be pointing fingers, saying, “Stepmothers are never good.”
Wang Ying was one thing—if she got married, it would mean Wang Yongfu’s branch of the family line would end, and any scolding wouldn’t fall on their own heads.
But if Wang Lingling were to marry like that, it would drag down the reputation of the whole family!
Li Chunjuan didn’t even dare to imagine what kind of impact that would have on Yaozong.
Wang Lingling wiped away her tears with a look of firm resolve. “Anyway, I’m marrying Zhao Jun! I’m not marrying Xu Shuang!”
Wang Yongshun’s anger surged straight to the top of his head. This damn girl—being lazy and indulgent on normal days was bad enough. He had originally thought that marrying her off to Xu Shuang would at least be a contribution to the family, and if Li Chunjuan wanted to spoil her a bit, so be it. Who would’ve thought she’d end up so ungrateful and unreasonable?
Wang Yongshun stood up and slapped Wang Lingling across the face. “Keep dreaming!”
Li Chunjuan also started crying. “Why won’t you listen? Xu Shuang’s conditions are so good—what exactly are you being picky about?!”
Wang Lingling’s cheek swelled from the slap, but she still refused to back down. “What do you know? Xu Shuang’s a loser! Whoever marries him is the unlucky one!”
…
Hearing the commotion from the next room, Wang Ying finally understood why Wang Lingling had been acting so strangely.
She was so stubborn about Zhao Jun, convinced he was going to be successful, and so quick to call Xu Shuang worthless… Wang Ying thought back over all of Wang Lingling’s recent behavior, and the answer was crystal clear.
This cousin of hers—she had probably been reborn.
Wang Ying shook her head. Although she didn’t know what kind of miserable life Wang Lingling had lived in her past life, the fact that her first move after returning was to change the man she would marry showed she probably wasn’t very smart.
And thinking about how Li Chunjuan and Wang Yongshun had originally planned to marry Zhao Jun to her…
Wang Ying understood now. In her past life, the original version of herself must have married this “promising” Zhao Jun and become a stepmother, while her cousin Wang Lingling had likely married Xu Shuang. But now Wang Lingling, looking back, blamed all her misfortunes on picking the wrong man. So this time around, she was determined to lock down the “stock with potential” early on.
Tsk tsk. Wang Ying didn’t know what to say. She had been wondering how to reject the match, but now that Wang Lingling had made this move, there was basically nothing for her to worry about.
The reborn girl would definitely go to great lengths to get the man swapped.
Now it was a fight within Uncle’s family—she just had to sit back and enjoy the show.
Sure enough, the very next morning, Li Chunjuan woke up with dark circles under her eyes, and Wang Lingling had been grounded at home by Wang Yongshun.
Wang Lingling, for her part, didn’t make a fuss. She stayed quiet in her room, doing who knows what.
Just like that, two days passed. One evening, someone suddenly burst into the Wang household, shouting to Wang Yongshun:
“Yongshun! You better go take a look—the Xu family’s in trouble. Their eldest son’s been labeled a Rightist and already got sent down!”
I am just a novice translator and Chinese is not my native language. I try my best to translate the chapters as accurate as possible.
If there are any mistakes then kindly comment and remind me. Your support means a lot.
