Chapter 24: The Time-traveling Girl

The time-traveling girl has really arrived.

Jiang Jingru had traveled into the character of the same name from a web drama she had watched, “Traveling to the 1970s, The Fat Wife Strikes Back and Kills It.”

Since the plot of the show was quite satisfying, she managed to endure the discomfort of sharing a name with the female cannon fodder, staying up all night to finish watching it.

To her surprise, when she woke up the next day, she had actually time-traveled—into a collapsed world.

Unmarried and pregnant, abandoned, and now being chased for debts. How could she possibly survive in the conservative social atmosphere of the 1970s?

Even more frustrating was that the system told her she was supposed to have traveled into the heroine’s body. However, due to some mishap, the original heroine had awakened, gained self-awareness, and was no longer following the original plot.

The system also informed her that it wasn’t just her but the other characters from the show who had deviated from the plot. As the main storyline couldn’t progress as planned, the only solution was to have her time-travel early to set things right and bring the plot back on track.

After delivering this message, the system disappeared without a trace and could no longer be summoned.

It didn’t even tell her what exactly she needed to do to restore the plot to its original course.

Jiang Jingru thought for an entire day and night, finally choosing the second option: to completely replace the original female lead and walk the same path that she had. This would, in turn, restore the plot.

In the original storyline, a few years later, the song-and-dance troupe began to decline due to outdated management and views that couldn’t keep up with the market. The employees were only able to survive on the basic salaries allocated by the government, while the original “fat wife” in the story constantly argued with the male lead, believing he lacked ambition. Their lives became chaotic and miserable.

After the female lead time-traveled, she lost weight and turned her life around, first taking control of her home, and then using her modern aesthetics and vision to create a few hit shows for the troupe, quickly boosting its popularity and turning the losses into profits.

She also established an entertainment service company, which helped the troupe evolve into a modern entertainment agency. They even ventured into the film industry. Not only did she become an entertainment mogul, but she also turned the male lead, Yang Jingyu, into a household name, winning numerous domestic and international awards.

Such a great outcome couldn’t possibly just be handed to someone else. Jiang Jingru had watched all of this unfold in the show and kept it fresh in her mind. All she had to do was marry the male lead, Yang Jingyu, and then repeat the actions of the original female lead in the story. Naturally, the plot would return to its original trajectory.

The only difference was that the original female lead, Song Xilan, would be replaced by her, Jiang Jingru.

Just as Jiang Jingru was preparing herself to take action, Song Xilan approached her—along with the future villain, Jiang Chengxiao.

Enemies meeting face to face, it was bound to be a fiery confrontation.

Of course, this “enemy” was how Jiang Jingru saw Song Xilan, because she believed it was Song Xilan’s awakening that had stolen everything that should have belonged to her.

Her parents, who always granted her every wish and fully supported whatever she wanted to do, her uncle, who was the director of the provincial Cultural Bureau, the valuable treasures hidden in her family’s home—all the favorable conditions that would have made the heroine’s entrepreneurial journey easier were now gone.

And now, with the terrible situation she was in, not only could her family offer no help, but they were only draining her dry.

All of this was because of Song Xilan.

Jiang Jingru stared at Song Xilan, and she realized this woman was not what she had imagined. She wasn’t the same as the overindulgent, obese character depicted in the show after giving birth.

Song Xilan was just a bit fuller compared to others who were more slender. She had a round face, smooth skin with a jade-like glow, and her figure was also not bad—her curves were more pronounced than most, a fine hourglass shape.

Jiang Jingru’s jealousy flared up. Originally, this body, with its good foundation, should have been hers.

Now, although the body she wore was still decent-looking, it was only due to her youth. Once she grew older, this sharp chin would start to look harsh.

Moreover, the conditions she had as a child weren’t great—she hadn’t been properly cared for, suffering from malnutrition and having a flat, unremarkable body. No wonder she had been abandoned by others.

Under Jiang Jingru’s sharp gaze, Song Xilan felt nervous. She struggled to swallow and spoke up: “Uh, Jiang… comrade, you were the one who did wrong to Comrade Lin Guangshan. You shouldn’t be taking his money or belongings. If you refuse to return the money… then… we… we’ll have to…”

Her face turned bright red. This was so hard. Being the bad guy really wasn’t easy.

She had mentally rehearsed this scene several times the night before, but when it came to actually facing her, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

【Hahaha, this is hilarious. First time seeing someone threaten with such a weak tone.】

【Saying the least threatening words with the most cowardly voice.】

【The original girl and the time-traveling girl face off, and the original girl loses miserably.】

【But we can’t say that, can we? Xilan just isn’t good at arguing, and besides, she’s naturally lucky. She doesn’t need to argue with people to get what she wants!】

【I’m confused now. Another time-traveling girl? Who is the real lead now?】

【It’s all about what each of them needs. Now that Xilan’s not with Yang Jingyu, there isn’t much conflict between her and the time-traveling girl. They could actually join forces, working together to advance their goals.】

Time-traveling girl? Song Xilan warily watched Jiang Jingru, wondering if what the bullet comments said was true. Could this Jiang Jingru no longer be the same person from the original storyline?

Had she, by some strange coincidence, gained a “special ability” and avoided the original plot, only to end up in Jiang Jingru’s body instead of her own?

Song Xilan felt conflicted inside.

The original Jiang Jingru had been inexcusable for leaving such a mess for the time-traveling girl to deal with. It was pitiful for the time-traveling girl to face such a predicament.

But Song Xilan couldn’t feel sorry for her. After all, the time-traveling girl had stolen someone else’s body. If she had ended up in the body of a happy person, she would have no qualms about enjoying someone else’s life.

How pitiful was the person whose body had been taken from them?

Thinking about how this person had taken her own body, spent her money, used her family’s care, and manipulated her son, Song Xilan felt an overwhelming surge of anger and said fiercely, “If you keep going like this, you won’t have a good ending