Chapter 3

Rebirth

Shanghai

“Hiss.” Xia Wanying woke up in pain. As soon as she opened her eyes, she felt like her head was going to explode.

When the pain subsided slightly, she opened her eyes wide and realized, pain? She was just a soul, how could she feel pain?

She slowly closed her eyes and gently rubbed her eyelids, trying to relieve the stinging sensation.

When she opened her eyes again, the scene before her was both familiar and strange. This was her room. The walls were painted white, with a light green paint used as a border, giving it a fresh and elegant look. Sunlight streamed in through the bright windows, illuminating every detail of the room.

Her gaze followed the light, finally landing on a string of handmade wind chimes hanging above the window. The wind chimes were made of small, colorful beads and delicate bells. They swayed gently in the breeze, emitting a clear and melodious sound. This little object had accompanied her through countless peaceful moments, but now it served as a window to her past.

“YangYang , how are you? Are you going to scare your mother to death?”

Xia Wanying’s hand was held by her mother. She clung to the warmth of her mother’s touch. What was going on?

Was she so desperate to see her parents that she was given another chance?

“Why isn’t she responding yet? Did she hit her head?”

Was this a hallucination? Xia Wanying was lost in thought.

The bedroom door opened, and her sister-in-law walked to the bedside, placing a bowl of porridge down. “YangYang  is awake, come have some food.”

Xia Wanying’s mother, Gu Ning, gently touched her daughter’s delicate face, her expression full of worry. She also touched her daughter’s forehead, then suddenly screamed, “Eldest son, quickly call your father. Eldest son’s wife, go get a towel. Second son, go get the military doctor. Second son’s wife, go boil some ginger soup! Hurry!”

With Gu Ning’s shout, the whole family was in a frenzy. Soon, the room was crowded with people.

Xia Wanying was confused, not knowing what had happened that caused her to see so many people at once!

Her mother, Gu Ning, her eldest brother, Xia Shuqian, her sister-in-law, Jiang Sisi, her second brother, Xia Shuhan, and her second sister-in-law, her childhood friend, Liu Yue.

Tears flowed from Xia Wanying’s eyes like a broken dam. Seeing her family, she felt as if she had been separated from them for an eternity.

“YangYang , how are you feeling? Can you say something?”

Listening to her mother’s gentle voice and feeling her mother’s warmth, she slowly came back to her senses. She glanced at the calendar on the wall: April 1974.

She had returned to her eighteenth year, less than ten days before she was to go to the countryside.

“Mom, eldest brother, sister-in-law, second brother, second sister-in-law, I’m fine. I’m much better!” Xia Wanying said in a choked voice.

The whole family breathed a sigh of relief when they heard her voice. Her second sister-in-law exclaimed, “YangYang , how can you trip and fall when you’re walking?”

Xia Wanying tried to recall. On this day in her previous life, she had attended the wedding of her high school classmate, Wang Huan. Because Wang Huan’s husband had looked at her a few times at the wedding, Wang Huan’s sister, Wang Jing, had bumped into her hard. She lost her balance, fell backward, and hit her head on the ground. In her previous life, she had gone home and complained to her eldest and second brothers. They went to confront them, but were almost blackmailed by Wang Huan’s mother-in-law.

Xia Wanying wiped her tears, “I’ll be more careful next time. I woke up early today, and I was a bit dazed.”

This time, she wasn’t going to let her brothers stand up for her again. She knew that Wang Jing was going to the countryside with them. Once they reached their destination, she would get her revenge!

Xia Wanying’s mother sighed heavily, “My daughter, you’re so absentminded. How can you take care of yourself? You’re going to the countryside soon. How can we be at ease with you like this?”

Her eldest brother also sighed, “If Dad wasn’t being watched, how could it be our little sister’s turn to go to the countryside? Such a delicate girl, how can she stand the hardship of the countryside?”

Xia Wanying raised a big smile and said coquettishly, “It was an accident today. I can take care of myself. If it really doesn’t work, Mom can give me more money. I can pay someone to cook for me! Don’t worry, I’m so likable, I won’t be at a loss wherever I go!”

Her second brother gently tapped her head, his eyes filled with concern, “It’s because you’re too likable that we’re not at ease, okay? Those brats in our compound are always up to no good under our noses. You’re going so far away, how can we rest assured?”

Xia Wanying yawned, “Those brats in the compound aren’t going to the countryside with me!”

The whole family burst into laughter…

“Okay, YangYang  is tired. Let’s go out. Drink the porridge, sweat a little, and take a nap. You’ll feel better,” Xia Wanying’s mother said, ushering everyone out.

After everyone left, Xia Wanying lay in bed thinking about Zhang Shiye. Tears flowed uncontrollably again. She had seen with her own eyes that foolish man avenge her, and she had watched helplessly as he committed suicide at her grave. She didn’t know if he was still alive in this life, if she would ever see him again…

A tear rolled down her neck. She reached out to wipe it away, and her hand touched a piece of jade. She sat up with a jolt. Wasn’t this the ancestral treasure of Zhang Shiye’s family, the one he had put around her neck at her burial? She had watched him treat it like a precious treasure. How could this be here? Did it come back with her?

Xia Wanying took off the jade pendant and cherished it close to her chest. If the jade pendant had come back with her, then wouldn’t Zhang Shiye, its owner, have come back too? In her previous life, she had gone to Shuiyu Village, Dongfang Red Brigade, Xin County, Shen City, Liaoning Province. Zhang Shiye was the youngest son of the village head.

Lost in thought, she drifted off to sleep. In her dream, she saw Zhang Shiye committing suicide again. “No…”

Xia Wanying woke up with a start, just in time to see her second sister-in-law, Liu Yue, come in to call her for dinner. “YangYang , Dad is back. Come out for dinner.”

“Okay.” She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, changed into comfortable clothes, and walked out of the room. As soon as she looked up, she saw the father who had always been planning for her in her previous life.

“Dad.” As soon as Xia Wanying spoke, her eyes turned red. She heard Fang Zhaodi’s triumphant voice in her ear: “You don’t know this, do you? Your father didn’t die of illness. Li Wenzhuo poisoned him for ten years…”

Those two dogs and bitches, if she ever met them again in this life, she would make them suffer!

“Oh, my dear daughter, how is your body? Your mother said you tripped and hit your head today?”

“I’m fine, Dad. I slept for a while, and I’m much better!” Xia Wanying held back her tears. She didn’t want to worry her family on the first day back.

Halfway through the meal, her father, Xia Qing Shan, put down his chopsticks. Looking at his youngest daughter, his eyes were filled with reluctance. “YangYang , Dad is sorry for you. If it wasn’t for Dad’s enemies watching closely, your mom and I wouldn’t have let you go to the countryside.”

Xia Wanying’s smile didn’t falter. She picked up a piece of egg with her chopsticks and placed it in her father’s bowl, “Dad, I want to go to the countryside to toughen myself up. I can’t stay under your and Mom’s and my brothers’ wings forever!”

Xia Wanying’s mother, Gu Ning, stroked her hair, “My beautiful little darling, you must take good care of yourself in the countryside. Don’t get sick. Your dad and I will try our best to pave the way for you, and hopefully get you transferred back to the city soon!”

“Mom, I forgot where I’m going to the countryside?” Xia Wanying asked casually.

Her second sister-in-law let out a loud yell that startled everyone, “YangYang, you didn’t really get a concussion, did you? I went with you to register a few days ago! It’s the Dongfang Hong Brigade in Shen City, Liaoning Province!”

Xia Wanying’s eyes widened. She was dazed for a while, then started to giggle, “Hee hee hee, Dongfang Hong Brigade is good, haha…”

Everyone exchanged glances. Her eldest brother cautiously said, “Maybe tomorrow, your sister-in-law can take a day off and accompany you to take a look?”

Xia Wanying retracted her smile and waved her hand, “I’m fine. I just like the name, Dongfang Hong, the sun rises in the east, right? By the way, Mom, can you bring me some extra money and tickets?”

Xia Wanying’s mother nodded, “Of course. Your brothers and your two sisters-in-law have been saving their tickets for you these past few days. Mom will bring you plenty of money. Put the money in different places. You’re so careless, you have to be prepared!”

The meal was lively and enjoyable. Back in her room, Xia Wanying jumped onto the bed and rolled around, her slender white legs kicking the covers, “Great, hee hee hee…”

At that moment, her mother walked in. Seeing Xia Wanying’s silly smile, she frowned slightly, “YangYang, you…”

“Oh my god, Mom, how did you get in?” Xia Wanying was startled and immediately stood up.