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Qin Man was an executive at a company. After five years of hard work in the corporate world, she had finally climbed to the position of director.
Just an hour ago, she had been celebrating her promotion at a well-known influencer-recommended restaurant. She drank a little too much, called for a designated driver to take her home, fumbled her way upstairs, and went straight to bed.
When she opened her eyes again, she thought she was dreaming—she was struggling in water, her lungs filled with liquid, and the fear of death engulfed her. The cries for help were drowned out by the rushing water.
Suddenly, a man jumped in. A huge splash rippled across the water’s surface.
Jiang Cong had rushed over as soon as he heard from the children that their mother had fallen into the water.
Qin Man’s body gradually sank. She had no strength left to struggle. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, a pair of strong arms grabbed her, pulling her out of the abyss.
Jiang Cong carried her to shore, where two three-year-old toddlers were wailing uncontrollably. When they saw their mother being rescued, they immediately ran over with their short little legs, crying out, “Mama! Mama!”
Qin Man had lost consciousness. She had swallowed too much water, so Jiang Cong had no choice but to perform chest compressions and artificial respiration.
The woman in front of him was breathtakingly beautiful—an oval-shaped face, delicate willow-leaf eyebrows, fair and radiant skin, and an alluring, graceful figure. Her wet clothes clung tightly to her body, accentuating her stunning curves.
Jiang Cong felt a little awkward. Although they were technically husband and wife, their relationship had only stemmed from a one-time accident four years ago. He had been away attending university for the past few years, barely interacting with his wife. There was no real affection between them—only duty and obligation. This level of intimacy made him feel uncomfortable, especially with their children watching from the side.
Qin Man suddenly coughed violently, spitting out a large mouthful of water. Jiang Cong gently patted her back to help.
Regaining her senses, Qin Man sat up, clutching her chest, and muttered words of gratitude without even looking at her rescuer.
“Th-thank you…”
Jiang Cong frowned in confusion. His wife had always been a bit slow-witted, barely able to speak properly. For her to say “thank you” so fluently was impossible.
“Are you feeling better?” Jiang Cong asked, staring at her.
Hearing the deep, magnetic voice of this man, Qin Man finally looked up at him.
As soon as she saw his handsome, chiseled face, memories flooded her mind like a tidal wave.
She was Qin Man—but not the Qin Man of this world. The original Qin Man had been a simple-minded woman living in the 1980s. Four years ago, she had accidentally gotten involved with Jiang Cong and was forced to marry him, giving birth to a pair of twins.
As for her past before that, it was a complete blank. Her memory only started from the moment she arrived in this village and got entangled with Jiang Cong. There was nothing before that!
What kind of absurd dream was this? She had gone to bed in her modern life and woken up in the 1980s? The experience was so vivid that she quickly accepted reality.
It took her less than ten minutes to come to terms with it!
She had to admit—Jiang Cong was really good-looking. With his sharp brows, deep-set eyes, and a commanding presence, he truly lived up to the title of the most handsome man in the village!
She had never been in a relationship before, and now, all of a sudden, she had such a stunning husband. Who wouldn’t be tempted?
Seeing Qin Man remain silent for so long—first spacing out, then staring at him with a goofy smile—Jiang Cong suddenly felt a headache coming on.
“Mama, are you cold?” A soft, childlike voice broke the silence as a tiny hand tugged at her sleeve.
Qin Man looked down and saw a little girl with two small pigtails, dressed in a floral-patterned nylon outfit. She looked about three years old. Beside her stood a little boy who looked almost identical to her.
The two children were as delicate as porcelain dolls—so adorable that they instantly melted her heart.
These were her twin children—her son, Jiang Li, and her daughter, Jiang Yu.
It was August, and the weather was still warm. Having just come out of the water, she didn’t feel cold at all.
“Mama’s not cold!” She gently pinched little Jiang Yu’s chubby cheeks. The soft, tender feel was simply irresistible—once she touched it, she wanted to touch it again.
Qin Man naturally slipped into the role of a mother. She didn’t feel troubled or bewildered by this sudden transmigration. Having read plenty of time-travel novels, she had fantasized about such a thing before.
Life in the modern world was stressful, and as an orphan with no family ties, she had no real attachments to her past. Her adaptability was exceptionally strong.
Jiang Cong, standing nearby, watched this scene of motherly affection and felt even more puzzled.
Even though he had been away at university and only returned home during winter and summer breaks, he was well aware that his “simple-minded” wife had never truly grasped the concept of being a mother. Mentally, she had always been like a three- or four-year-old child herself, treating their son and daughter more like playmates than her own kids.
“Let’s go home and get changed before you catch a cold.”
Jiang Cong reached for Qin Man’s wrist to lead her home. Jiang Yu held onto her other hand, and with Jiang Li walking beside them, the family of four strolled away hand in hand. The scene was incredibly heartwarming.
Just as they stood up, a woman’s voice suddenly called out, drawing their attention.
“Xiao Zhu, are you okay?”
The speaker was Zhang Lanlan. She jogged over, stopping in front of Jiang Cong with a faint blush on her face. Her fingers nervously twisted a strand of her braided hair. Her coy demeanor made Qin Man feel sick.
“Xiao Zhu, what happened? How did you fall into the water?”
Everyone in the village called Qin Man Xiao Zhu because Jiang Cong had found her in a bamboo forest years ago. She had no memories of her past, so he simply named her Xiao Zhu (Little Bamboo).
Zhang Lanlan looked concerned, but her eyes constantly darted toward Jiang Cong, as if stealing glances at him. However, Jiang Cong remained indifferent and never acknowledged her presence.
Oh, playing the innocent act now, are we? But just moments ago, she had pushed Qin Man into the water without the slightest hesitation.
“Cut the act. You’re the one who pushed me into the river, and now you’re pretending not to know? Who are you putting on this show for?”
Qin Man had a keen eye for fake people and a sharp tongue to match. She couldn’t stand women like Zhang Lanlan—those who acted sweet and innocent while scheming behind others’ backs.
This woman had a long history of trying to get close to Jiang Cong. Everyone in the village knew she had a thing for him.
She had bullied the old Qin Man plenty of times, taking advantage of her naïveté—making her do chores, promising her food but never delivering. It was downright disgusting.
And now, she had the audacity to push Qin Man into the river? No doubt she was growing impatient, knowing that Jiang Cong had finally graduated and landed a decent job. She was desperate to secure her place by his side.
“What nonsense are you saying? Why would I push you into the reservoir? I only just got here! Jiang Cong, don’t listen to her nonsense—she’s not right in the head! You know she’s not reliable!”
A flicker of panic flashed across Zhang Lanlan’s face, but she quickly composed herself. To her, Qin Man was just a fool. Who would believe the words of a fool?
But Qin Man had years of workplace experience and saw through her tricks instantly. She smirked and said coldly:
“Oh? If you just got here, then how did you know I fell into the water?”
“If you’re going to act innocent, at least do it convincingly. Don’t leave behind such obvious clues.”