Chapter 1: Miss Shi was beaten after traveling through time and space, she was furious!

Shi Qingqian was leisurely enjoying her seaside vacation, sunlight spilling over her body as the sea breeze gently lifted her hair. Just a couple of days ago, she had quarreled with her father, making the old man so angry his heart condition flared up. Yet she had run off with his black card, reclining lazily on a beach chair, oversized sunglasses covering most of her face. Tilting her head slightly, she gazed at the endless sea, the waves rolling in layers with a pleasant sound.

She thought back to the quarrel with her father—there was a trace of regret in her heart, but it quickly dissolved into the soothing holiday atmosphere. Adjusting her posture to be more comfortable, she prepared to fully enjoy this rare moment of peace. Before long, she drifted off to sleep.

Sleeping soundly, she had no idea who the annoying culprit was, but suddenly someone gave her a hard shove from behind. Shi Qingqian’s body lurched forward with the unexpected push, and before she could react, she lost balance and fell off the chair.

She landed clumsily on the ground, her head still spinning. Soon, however, a surge of anger welled up inside her. She hated being disturbed while sleeping—let alone being shoved so roughly.

“Who is it? Do you have a death wish?!” Shi Qingqian roared, her voice full of fury.

“You damned girl, who are you cursing at? Look at yourself—lazy and useless all day, never lifting a finger, always sleeping at home. Who do you think you are? A princess? A young lady?”

A burly middle-aged woman stood there, hands on her hips, spitting as she scolded viciously. As if scolding wasn’t enough, she stepped forward, reaching out to grab Shi Qingqian’s hair.

Shi Qingqian reacted quickly, dodging sideways to avoid the attack. Missing her target, the woman grew even angrier and lunged again with clawing hands.

“You damned girl, you dare dodge? Let’s see if I don’t teach you a lesson today!” she shouted, swinging her thick arms.

Shi Qingqian had never been one to swallow her anger. She retorted immediately: “And what are you supposed to be, trying to ‘teach me a lesson’? Look at yourself—broad as a barrel, a face full of flesh, disgusting to look at. So what if I was sleeping? Who do you think you are, managing even that? If you’re so idle, why don’t you go lick the latrine clean?”

“You ill-bred wretch, I am your mother, and you dare talk to me like that?! I’ll tear your mouth apart!” the woman bellowed, charging at her again.

Shi Qingqian was twenty-five this year, with twenty years of experience sparring with her tycoon father. Such petty tricks were nothing. Moving her feet with ease, her mouth didn’t stay idle either: “Don’t curse other people’s mothers—basic civility, you know? You’re this old and still don’t get it. You, my mother? Look at that mug—just stepping outside would scare kids to tears. If you want to be my mom, maybe in your next ten lifetimes of good karma you might have a chance. Without it, this life you’re human, next life you’ll be a dog chasing after shit.”

The woman trembled with rage at her words, once more raising her hand to strike.

Shi Qingqian’s eyes turned cold. Her patience gone, she sidestepped, and while the woman stumbled from missing, Shi seized the chance, darted behind her, and gave her a fierce shove.

The woman’s large body staggered forward, and with Shi adding another push to her back, she lost control completely, crashing headfirst toward the door.

“Bang!” She landed heavily outside the room, sprawled in a pathetic heap.

“Get lost! Disturb me again while I’m sleeping, and you’ll regret it.” Shi Qingqian slammed the door shut and got back into bed in one fluid motion.

But soon a foul stench woke her.

“What the hell is this…” She looked at the filthy, sticky bedding, blackened and grimy. She immediately pulled out bottled water from her personal space to wash her hands.

Her movements froze.

In her anger earlier, she hadn’t noticed. Now, she finally realized something was off. She was supposed to be on vacation at the beach, but looking around at the cracked walls, the dim light, the shabby furniture, and the grimy bedding—

She was stunned.

Shi Qingqian stood rooted to the spot, her mind racing to make sense of the absurd situation. How could she go from relaxing by the seaside to ending up in this dilapidated place?

Carefully, she walked to the window and pushed it open with a creak. Outside was a yard of uneven dirt ground, piles of junk stacked in the corners. Several plainly dressed people passed by, their clothing and hairstyles full of retro vibes.

Turning back, she spotted an old, yellowed calendar on a battered cabinet. Printed boldly on it was—1975.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. She had traveled through time! To 1975!!

So that woman earlier… could she really be her mother?

Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced her temple, and strange memories rushed into her mind.

As it turned out, that hulking woman was indeed her “mother,” but not her birth mother—her stepmother. Her real mother had died shortly after giving birth to her, leaving her father to raise her alone. Though life was hard, father and daughter managed well enough.

Until she was five. That year, her father suddenly brought back a stepmother, Wang Xiuqin, who was already pregnant. Months later, she gave birth to another daughter. Not long after, her father mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Over a decade passed, and everyone assumed he was dead.

Without her father, the original girl was left to be bullied endlessly by her stepmother and stepsister.

Her job? It was painstakingly arranged by her uncle, who wanted to secure something stable for his only niece before she was inevitably sent down to the countryside.

But even that good intention was ruined. Her stepsister Shi Qingyao grew envious, and Wang Xiuqin forced the original girl to give up her job to her sister, and even signed her up to be sent down to the countryside in X Province. She was scheduled to depart in just a few days.

Digesting the flood of memories, Shi Qingqian felt a swirl of emotions. If she had known, she would have hit harder just now.

Whether the pitiful original soul was dead or had also traveled elsewhere didn’t matter. Since Shi Qingqian had taken her place, she would avenge her properly.

She opened the wardrobe—only to find two faded, threadbare outfits, sleeves too short.

There was no way Miss Shi would stoop to wearing such rags. She quickly entered her personal space and picked out the plainest of her own clothes to put on.