Chapter 2

Touching the Pixiu pendant still hanging around her neck, Song Wanyue finally felt at ease. As long as it was still there, everything would be fine.

The system comforted her: “Don’t panic. The system will immediately give you a Calming Pill. Once you take it, all depression will vanish. Think of it as part of your newbie starter pack.”

It was scared too—what if its new host ended herself before even completing a mission?

Song Wanyue asked doubtfully, “By the way, is the original owner really dead? I don’t sense her presence at all. Has she gone on to reincarnate?”

System: “Yes. Now go ahead and draw your golden finger. Maybe it’ll help you soon.”

A glowing screen appeared in the air with nine options: Mind Reading, Medical Skills, Martial Arts, Mental Power, Spatial Ability, Strength Pill, Jinxed Mouth, Witchcraft, Plant-based Abilities.

Song Wanyue tapped lightly, and the choice landed on Strength Pill.

“Not bad—perfect for killing and plundering.”

After taking the Strength Pill, she picked up the bowl beside her, dumped it out the window, then squeezed. The bowl shattered in her hand.

Just as she was about to drip blood to recognize the spatial treasure, Zhang Shufen came in. The system warned her: “The brown sugar water has been drugged with an aphrodisiac. It’ll take effect in about twenty minutes. Don’t worry—just play along.”

Song Wanyue instantly understood. “Got it. I’ll fake drinking it and cooperate with their little act. Zhang Shufen wants to drug me and force me into bed with Gu Dahai so the rice is cooked and can’t be undone. Fine—let’s turn their own trick against them. No one’s walking away clean.”

She’d watched enough dramas to know all these underhanded methods like the back of her hand.

Then don’t blame her for being merciless—she’d disgust them right back.

After taking the pill, Song Wanyue felt much better, her depressive emotions no longer weighing her down.

“System, I feel fine now. This medicine is awesome. By the way, can everyone else see you? Or hear your voice?”

The system said smugly: “Only you can see me and hear me. Don’t worry.”

Song Wanyue leaned weakly against the headboard and called out, “Auntie, you can come in now. Cough cough.”

Zhang Shufen looked at the woman before her—beautiful like a fox spirit—and thought, No way she’s escaping my grasp.

With a flattering smile, she said, “Wanyue, I worked hard to make this chicken-egg noodle soup. It’s so nourishing. You should eat it quickly.”

But inside she was sneering: Hah, this useless girl will soon gobble it up, never knowing I spit into it.

Song Wanyue coughed twice and put on a grateful face. “Thank you, Auntie. Just set it down—I want to sleep a bit.”

Zhang Shufen knew Song Wanyue had nearly drowned earlier, so she pretended to be caring, even tucking in the blanket.

“Rest well. I need to get to work, so I’ll leave first.”

Song Wanyue guessed the noodles had been tampered with. Well then, hehe…

She put on a shy expression. “Auntie, I just drank some brown sugar water and had a peach pastry. I’m really not hungry anymore. Since the noodles have gone soggy, they won’t taste good later. Why don’t you eat them instead?”

She wasn’t sure what exactly the old woman had added, but why not disgust her with it?

In her previous life, the original owner had never asked Zhang Shufen to make her noodles. So this time, Song Wanyue would flip the script.

Watching a man and woman do that kind of thing is boring… but one man with two women? Now that’s interesting.

Zhang Shufen’s smile froze. She had spit into the bowl herself—how could she possibly stomach eating it?

She waved her hands in refusal. “No, no, Wanyue. How could I steal your food? This is your ration. I should leave it for you. I’ll go dig sweet potatoes now.”

But Song Wanyue grabbed her hand, preventing her from leaving.

Smiling sweetly, she pressed, “Auntie, why not eat? Is it poisoned or something? I’ve invited you to eat before, more than once.”

The original owner’s wealthy background had been exposed soon after she was sent down—not by herself, but because Zhou Shanshan blabbed.

Thanks to being the brigade leader’s wife, Zhang Shufen cozied up to her, often tagging along to state-run restaurants in the county, freeloading meals.

The original owner thought she was shameless and greedy, but couldn’t afford to offend her. She treated her to meals a few times, then tried avoiding her. But Zhang Shufen had skin as thick as a city wall—ignoring her never worked. She always leached off.

Every sent-down youth had been taken advantage of this way. The original owner, a young girl, was no exception.

Now Zhang Shufen felt trapped and flustered. “Wanyue, I was being kind, saving it for you. How could you think this of me? This is your ration. I’m too old to be taking advantage of you. Everyone in the village says I’ve treated you well. Your words are cutting my heart.”

Why is this girl being so clingy today?

Song Wanyue just smiled. “I was teasing, Auntie. I really can’t eat it. If you don’t want it, just save it for someone else. I don’t like soggy noodles.”

Funny, really—the original owner, an only child, shouldn’t even have been sent down. But Zhou Shanshan coaxed her into it.

When the college entrance exam was reinstated, Zhou Shanshan divorced Gu Dahai right away. Wanting a better life was understandable, but she’d helped the Gu family scheme against her so-called best friend.

Song Wanyue had entered society early—she’d been making money since fifteen. She’d met countless people like Gu Dahai and Zhou Shanshan.

People had to be ruthless to survive, especially in the 80s and 90s when there were no surveillance cameras and gangsters roamed unchecked.

Zhou Shanshan divorcing Gu Dahai? Zhang Shufen had played her part in that too. She had long coveted the original owner’s position.

The original owner’s mother had only one child—her. She was doted on endlessly. Her maternal grandparents’ family had once run businesses, but donated almost everything during the war effort.

The remaining wealth helped her uncle secure a job and a home, and became her mother’s dowry. The money Gu Dahai used to open his factory had all come from this.

Yes—the original owner came from money. Her father worked in a furniture factory, her mother was a teacher.

Though the Song family had split, they still lived in the same courtyard. The parents were lazy and liked having relatives do chores for them, so they never moved. After all, kin were more reliable than outsiders.

Back in school, Zhou Shanshan had stuck to the original owner like glue, even convincing her to go to the countryside.

When her parents found out, they were stunned. Her grandparents scolded them for being careless and letting someone take advantage.

Zhou Shanshan’s family wasn’t well-off—her father worked in the furniture factory, her mother in a textile mill. Zhou’s father, being overly filial, had brought all his brothers’ children to live in the city. With seven kids of his own plus nieces and nephews, the household was huge and poor. Zhou Shanshan, the youngest, only managed to scrape by thanks to her sweet tongue.

That kind of situation was common in the city then. Poor relatives clung to those who had managed to get in, draining them dry. In those days, defying parents’ wishes wasn’t an option.

So Zhou Shanshan stuck to the original owner to mooch food and fun.

Finally, Zhang Shufen steeled herself and said, “Fine, Auntie will eat.”

She began eating while staring at Song Wanyue. Strange—same face, same body, but she somehow felt… different.

Halfway through, her stomach churned, and she gagged.

Song Wanyue gasped in mock surprise. “Auntie, could you be pregnant? Who would’ve thought—an old clam making pearls!”

Her lips curved slightly in amusement. Probably the spit making her sick.

Zhang Shufen hastily denied it. “No way, my cycle’s already stopped. I can’t get pregnant. Must’ve just caught a chill last night. The nights are cool, you know. Anyway, I’ve finished eating. I’ll go now.”

The more she thought about it, the sicker she felt.

She forced down the rest of the noodles and quickly left.

Song Wanyue called after her, “Auntie, please wash the bowls for me. If they sit too long, they’ll be harder to clean. I’m going to sleep soon.”

The play was about to begin.

Time to grind the Gu family’s face into the dirt.

Mastermind Zhou Shanshan, Gu Dahai, and Zhang Shufen—none of them would escape.

Not even Gu Hongmei.

She would never let herself be calculated against.

She would not become a pawn in someone else’s love story.

This stepmother role? She would never accept it. No way she’d be anyone’s fallback wife!