Chapter 1

Knock! knock!

Jiang Rou was awakened by a series of knocks on the door. She rubbed her eyes and sat up from the hard bed in a daze.

Moving halfway was a bit difficult, but once she realized what was going on, she grimaced and supported her round belly with one hand.

The knocking outside stopped and turned into a woman’s loud voice shouting, “Xiao Rou, are you home?”

Without much thought, Jiang Rou mumbled a reply. “Yes, I’m here.”

Jiang Rou slowly extended her feet, found the cotton shoes under the bed, inserted her slightly swollen feet, and then propped herself up on the bed, walking slowly outside.

Her belly was too heavy. Jiang Rou felt like she was carrying a lot of weight, and she needed to support her belly with both hands to feel a bit more at ease.

In the courtyard, Jiang Rou removed the door latch on the main gate, opened it, and came face to face with a thin, dark-skinned woman carrying a basket of vegetables.

The woman was half a head shorter than Jiang Rou, with dry hair and a haggard face. Fine lines were visible at the corners of her eyes and mouth, but her features were well-proportioned, indicating that she must have been quite attractive in her younger days.

Seeing Jiang Rou come out, the corners of the woman’s mouth immediately pulled down. With a shrewd look in her eyes, she looked at Jiang Rou from head to toe. Finally, her gaze fell on the right side of Jiang Rou’s face, where the red marks from sleeping were evident. Her tone was somewhat unpleasant as she asked sternly, “Why did you close the door in broad daylight? It’s already so late, and you’re still sleeping. Have you forgotten that you have a husband?”

Jiang Rou blinked innocently and then lowered her head.

Embarrassed. ‘I really forgot.’

Lin Meiru was so annoyed by Jiang Rou’s dull expression that she didn’t know how her son got tangled up with such a person.

Frowning, Lin Meiru reached into her pants pocket, took out a few crumpled bills, and forcefully placed them into Jiang Rou’s hand. She then stuffed the not-so-fresh vegetables from the basket at Jiang Rou and spoke rudely, “Go and redeem him at the police station later. If you’re not ashamed, I am.”

Seeming to have no interest in looking at Jiang Rou any longer, Lin Meiru turned and left.

After some distance, Jiang Rou could still hear her scolding and muttering words like “debt collector” and “lazy bum.”

Watching her go, Jiang Rou closed the door again and carried the vegetables back into the house.

In 1998, remote small counties in the south had not yet enjoyed many benefits of the reforms and opening up, and most of the residents still lived in simple houses made of green bricks and black tiles.

When Jiang Rou entered the living room, which has barely any light, she saw a large painting of a pine tree. To the upper right of the painting, there was a black and white portrait of an elderly person, and below that, an old-fashioned wall clock that made a “tick” sound every second.

Under the wall are tall coffee tables and square tables. The square tables were placed against the wall, with a chair on the left and another on the right.

It had a strong sense of history.

Jiang Rou walked over and placed the vegetables and money on the table. She took a teapot and poured herself a glass of cold, plain water.

After taking a refreshing sip, she sighed comfortably and sat down on the nearby chair. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and fanned herself with her hand. She didn’t know if it was due to pregnancy, but she was particularly sensitive to heat now.

Jiang Rou couldn’t help but recall her training days in the police academy, and she didn’t remember feeling this hot back then.

Thinking about the police academy, she glanced down at her round belly, and Jiang Rou’s mood became melancholic again.

Just two days ago, she woke up to find herself transported back over twenty years, becoming the ex-wife of a death row inmate named Li Xiao.

If there was any omen, it was when Li Xiao was taken away after his case was closed. Jiang Rou happened to be standing in the corridor and saw the man, who had a blank expression on his face. The man suddenly raised his eyelids upon hearing her colleague call out her name, “Jiang Rou.” Their eyes met from a distance, and those cold, indifferent eyes deeply imprinted themselves in her mind, haunting her for several nights in a row with nightmares.

Li Xiao was a widely known figure in the entire police station. Even when Jiang Rou was still studying, her teachers used his case as an example for them. When she saw the name of his ex-wife from twenty years ago in the files, which happened to be the same as hers, she couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy.

Jiang Rou didn’t know what kind of luck she had, but her internship coincided with his case. As a newcomer who knew nothing, she could only assist her mentor in organizing the materials, so she knew more about it than what she learned in school.

Li Xiao’s case was extremely complex, involving a wide range of people and a long timeline. The motive for the crime was related to the death of an innocent little girl due to campus bullying, and while it’s hard to say what kind of person Li Xiao was, his daughter was indeed innocent. Within a year after the victim’s death, several bullies mysteriously died one after another, so Li Xiao, who had been missing for a long time, was labeled the prime suspect.

Jiang Rou had seen the pictures of the little girl. The little girl inherited his father’s outstanding appearance; she was without any doubt incredibly beautiful. She smiles like an angel. According to the information, the girl had excellent academic performance and a gentle and kind personality.

The bullying she endured came from several older boys from well-off families. Since they were all underage, they quickly managed to settle things with the school and local police, covering up everything.

Jiang Rou remembered that when her teacher explained this case in class, the room was enveloped in silence. Compared to the rationality of the law, the students still carried their youthful ideals and emotions.

At that time, they all believed that Li Xiao was the culprit, so they shouldn’t sympathize, but weren’t those who caused his daughter’s death equally cruel?

Such a beautiful and well-behaved girl, who originally had an infinitely bright future, abruptly came to an end at the age of ten.

After the case was concluded, even the group dinner had a somber atmosphere. Several veteran detectives who had been on the job for over a decade expressed that this case was truly heartbreaking. They felt sorrow for the innocence of the young girl, regret for the boys who not only harmed others but also ruined their own lives, and even more so, they lamented the failure of the parents to properly educate their children, leading to this tragic ordeal that lasted for more than a decade, resulting in irreparable consequences.

If it weren’t for those few boys who took the little girl to the abandoned factory to bully her and pushed her down into the nearby icy river in the dead of winter, they wouldn’t have made the drug traffickers hiding inside worry about being exposed and choose to kill them.

No one knew who said it, but someone said that Li Xiao was both righteous and evil. It’s because his upbringing was twisted, leading him to become a dangerous person without a proper moral compass. His daughter once pulled him out of the darkness and made him want to become a good person.

Unfortunately, his daughter died tragically, so Li Xiao, who wanted to become a good person, disappeared.

Now, his life is filled with darkness and revenge.

It is precisely because this case is too depressing that Jiang Rou is even more determined to leave after completing her internship and find a more peaceful job for her retirement.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she was only brought back to reality when her belly was lightly kicked. She softened her expression and gently touched her stomach.

Jiang Rou sighed. She realized that she would become a mother, and yet she doesn’t have any partners.

The baby probably felt her mother’s touch, and the child inside her belly kicked gently again.

She’s ticklish and well-behaved, completely different from her sister-in-law’s daughter and her mischievous little nephew, whom she had taken care of in the past.

The child inside her womb is the daughter of Li Xiao.

Fortunately, Jiang Rou is broad-minded. Although she had some difficulty accepting it at first, after two days of contemplation, she has gradually come to terms with it.

No matter what, she can only accept it and take things one step at a time.

Jiang Rou took a glance at the money on the table and looked away with a guilty heart.

A few days ago, Li Xiao got into a fight with someone and was put in jail.

He definitely couldn’t bail himself out, and she hoped he would stay in there a bit longer.

Jiang Rou is just a small intern. When she applied for the police academy, it was only done on the spur of the moment. She was really afraid of a big shot like Li Xiao, who wandered around the edge of darkness.

Seeing that it was getting dark, Jiang Rou took the vegetables from the table and went to the kitchen.

The kitchen is a rural type of earthen stove that requires firewood to be burned. Following her memory, Jiang Rou lit the kindling with some difficulty, then stuffed it into the stove and added a bunch of firewood.

The house belonged to Li Xiao’s grandfather, who was a carpenter. When Jiang Rou arrived here, the yard and living room were filled with wood in a messy heap. She spent two days cleaning it up and putting the useful ones into the storage room while using the useless ones as firewood.

Jiang Rou cooked two dishes, one with bok choy and the other with amaranth, and also steamed a bowl of egg custard.

The kitchen didn’t have many ingredients—only some sesame oil, salt, vinegar, and a small can of lard. Clearly, the conditions in this house were not great.

After she finished eating her meal, Jiang Rou washed the pots and dishes, then scooped the hot water from the pot on the stove and carried it to her room, making two trips—one with hot water and the other with cold water.

This body isn’t very healthy. Even though she’s pregnant, she’s quite thin. Even carrying slightly heavy things is challenging for her. This body’s physique was nowhere near her original physique.

She used to appear slim, but she had a good diet and was healthy, with a well-proportioned figure. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to get into the police academy.

However, this “Jiang Rou” is quite beautiful. Jiang Rou (FL) had never seen a photo of “Jiang Rou” before; there was no information available except for a brief description of her relationship with Li Xiao.

However, even though their names are the same, their appearances and temperaments are completely different.

Jiang Rou (FL) has a sweet and lovely appearance, with a round face and two little dimples when she smiles. Her looks have always been her advantage, and her family has always trusted her. She had never given any reason for her family to be worried about her, but to their surprise, they expected that she would have a delayed rebellious phase during adolescence. Jiang Rou actually chose to join the police academy. They are always worried that she might face danger or make sacrifices in the future.

On the other hand, “Jiang Rou” has a completely different style. She has a delicate and beautiful appearance, the kind that makes people want to protect her as soon as they see her. Especially with her pale skin and slender body, her eyebrows and eyes reveal a sense of melancholy and timidity, making her look even more pitiable.

However, maybe due to a change in her mindset, Jiang Rou (FL) noticed that she looked more energetic when she looked in the mirror this morning. Her eyes were bright and spirited, with a hint of confidence that was absent before.

Jiang Rou filled the washbasin with water and brought it inside, then put the clothes she dried today on the bed.

The conditions were too harsh, so she washed quickly and then dragged the washbasin outside, pouring the water away, feeling exhausted from the chores.

The clothes she wore were not washed either, so she planned to do the laundry tomorrow morning.

At this time, there were no entertainment tools either. This family was just too poor; they didn’t have anything.

Jiang Rou closed the door and returned to her room. She lay on her bed while fanning herself with a big palm-leaf fan.

There was a mosquito net on the bed, so she wasn’t worried about mosquitoes.

But it was just too hot. She started sweating right after taking a shower. There was an old electric fan in the house, but when she turned it on, it was too cold.

Jiang Rou tossed and turned on the bed several times. Before falling asleep, she still thought about wearing her old clothes.

Unfortunately, that wish didn’t come true.

…………

He who goes to bed early wakes up early.

The next day, even before dawn, Jiang Rou woke up with a growling stomach. She resignedly got out of bed and went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat.

She didn’t mistreat herself at all. She grew up in a family that favored sons over daughters. She has often gone hungry since childhood, which has resulted in her having a small appetite. However, Jiang Rou couldn’t bear it; in her current body, she felt weak and frail. Without meat to eat, she would still force herself to eat two bowls of rice, even if she couldn’t finish them.

She fried all the leftover vegetables from yesterday and made a bowl of steamed egg custard, which tasted pretty good, probably because of the free-range chicken eggs. Just a drop of sesame oil and a bit of lard made it incredibly fragrant.

After she ate her meal, Jiang Rou walked around the yard and washed the clothes she had changed out of last night.

There was a well in the yard, and getting water required lowering a bucket tied to a rope. Since it was quite troublesome, she didn’t wash the clothes too thoroughly; just a quick rub before hanging them up.

After Jiang Rou finished these tasks and had nothing to do, she cleaned up the last small pile of wood in the yard.

Looking at the clear and refreshing courtyard and hall, Jiang Rou stood with her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow in satisfaction and feeling quite capable.

Jiang Rou, who was too capable, decided to reward herself. Without hesitation, she took the money her mother-in-law gave her yesterday.

NOTLUCIA: New Novel to translate~ I really love this novel, so I’ve decided to translate it and share it with other readers who might want to read this type of novel. I hope you will also love this novel and show some support. Thank you so much!

If you want to read the other novels I’m translating:

The Sweet Stepmother and her Cute Cubs (70s)

I Lived with the Villain in the 70s

Second Marriage in the 1970s

The Peasant Female Doctor

Transmigration: The Peasant Makeup Artist