Chapter 1 Rebirth Back to the 1980s

“You damn girl! Get out here right now! I’m telling you, this matter is settled. I don’t care whether you like it or not. You’re already eighteen—what use is it for you to stay at home if you’re not getting married?”

Wang Huimin froze at the sound of that familiar shouting voice. She suddenly realized she was in the small back room of her home. Earthen walls, a wooden bed, an old sheet spread on top—it was dark even during the day, barely letting in any light. It was exactly where she’d stayed before her marriage.

Didn’t she die after hitting her head during a fight with Song Fu because she insisted on a divorce? That scumbag pushed her, and she died, didn’t she?

Just then, the back room door creaked open. Tian Yongmei stormed in, her eyes full of fury.

“Are you deaf or mute? Didn’t you hear me calling you? Get out and pull weeds in the garden! Don’t think you can get away with doing nothing just because you’re getting married!”

The voice, the face—everything was too familiar. Wang Huimin instantly understood: she had been reborn.

If she remembered correctly, it was now 1984. The production team had just distributed land last year. She had come back six years before her death. At this time, she hadn’t yet married Song Fu, that bastard, but Tian Yongmei had already taken the betrothal money from his family. It all happened this very morning. Because she opposed the marriage, she had stormed off to the back room.

Recalling everything from her past life, Wang Huimin clenched her fists. She had been ruined by that scumbag couple and her own selfish family. Now that she had a second chance, she would never make the same mistakes again.

She shot a cold glance at Tian Yongmei and walked right past her without saying a word.

Startled to see her usually timid daughter suddenly acting defiant, Tian Yongmei ran after her and grabbed her arm.

“I told you to go pull weeds! Where do you think you’re going?”

Wang Huimin yanked her hand away. “Where I go is none of your business. I’m not marrying Song Fu! Whoever took the bride price can marry him themselves!”

It was the first time Wang Huimin had dared to talk back, and Tian Yongmei immediately exploded.

“You ungrateful wretch! You dare speak to me like that? The betrothal money’s already been taken—whether you want to or not, you’re marrying him! Or I’ll beat you until you do!”

At that moment, Wang Huishu finally came out from the front room. Her soft, gentle voice carried a trace of reproach.

“Xiaomin, how can you speak to Mom like that?”

Seeing how angry Tian Yongmei was, she hurried to support her—looking every bit like the dutiful, obedient daughter.

Wang Huishu was fair-skinned and pretty, always a good student. She had never done farm work a day in her life and was raised like a precious little lady. Seeing her beloved eldest daughter step in, Tian Yongmei’s confidence soared.

“Xiaoshu, don’t hold me back. That damn girl is completely out of line! If I don’t discipline her today, she’ll think she can do whatever she wants!”

Watching the two of them act out their routine again—one pulling, one playing nice—Wang Huimin sneered coldly.

“If I’m the wretched animal here, then you two are heartless monsters. I grew up with a mother who birthed me but never raised me. How could I compare to Wang Huishu, who even after losing her real parents still managed to steal someone else’s!”

Wang Huishu wasn’t Tian Yongmei and Wang Qingcai’s biological daughter—she was the child of Tian Yongmei’s older sister. After her parents died in an accident when she was one, she was taken in by the family. That in itself wasn’t the problem.

The issue was: at the time, due to the one-child policy, raising a girl still counted against their household limit. So when Wang Huimin was born later, it was considered over the limit. They had hoped for a son, but when she turned out to be a girl, they were furious. Any further births would mean heavy fines.

Already disappointed at not having a son, Tian Yongmei resented Wang Huimin from the start. Meanwhile, she spoiled Wang Huishu, who was sweet-talking and knew how to please.

Over the years, Wang Huishu enjoyed the best resources in the house, while Wang Huimin was stuck with all the hard labor and constant beatings. Of course, Wang Huishu played her part well—she was always quietly stirring the pot, making Tian Yongmei hate her biological daughter even more.

The two sisters were only a year apart. Since the family couldn’t afford to support two children in school, they had Wang Huimin drop out so that Wang Huishu could continue studying. To fund her education, they even sold Wang Huimin off to Song Fu for an outrageous bride price of a thousand yuan—ultimately costing her her life.

Seeing Wang Huimin now acting nothing like her timid old self—almost like she had gone mad—Wang Huishu’s eyes quickly turned red, as if she had been terribly wronged.

“Xiaomin, how can you say that? You’ve misunderstood me. I know I’m just an adopted daughter, and I’ll never be as close to Mom and Dad as you are.”

“But I’m grateful they raised me. I’ll be twice as filial in return and take good care of you too. I never meant to steal their affection from you.”

“Even if you dislike me or think I wronged you, we can always talk things through. I’ll always give way to you. But please don’t upset Mom like this. Say sorry, okay?”

The scent of tea (i.e., fakeness) was overwhelming. Wang Huimin felt nauseated—but she knew others always fell for this act.

Sure enough, upon hearing these “sincere” words, Tian Yongmei flew into a rage. She charged toward Wang Huimin.

“You heartless little wretch! You’ve even made your sister cry! I’m going to tear your mouth apart so you’ll learn to shut it!”

This kind of coordinated performance had been going on for over a decade, and Wang Huimin was tired of arguing. As Tian Yongmei lunged at her, she swiftly dodged out of the way.

Tian Yongmei stumbled, nearly falling, and had to be caught by Wang Huishu.

“Mom! Be careful!”

At that moment, Wang Huishu’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk. Everything had gone exactly as she planned.

The family was already poor, and if they didn’t suppress Wang Huimin, how could Wang Huishu take everything for herself?

So now, the one who should be dropping out of school to do farm work and be sold off to some thug… should be her instead.

If not for Wang Huishu catching her in time, Tian Yongmei would’ve fallen. Furious, she glared at Wang Huimin.
“You little wretch, you dare dodge me?!”

Wang Huimin’s eyes were icy cold.
“You want to sell me off to fund your precious adopted daughter’s schooling? No way in hell.”

“If she’s so damn filial, why don’t you have her marry Song Fu to pay for her tuition!”

Tian Yongmei exploded, yelling,
“What kind of nonsense is that, you ungrateful brat! Can’t you think about your sister for once?!”

“Your sister is about to get into college. She’s the only one in our family who’s going to make something of herself. She’s going to bring honor to our name! How can she marry a man like Song Fu—that would ruin her!”

Wang Huishu cleverly kept wiping away tears, playing the part of the pitiful girl—but remained silent.

Wang Huimin looked at the two of them—mother and daughter—acting like it was only right that she be the one to suffer. She had always known how shameless they were, but living through it again still chilled her to the bone.

“You never once cared about me, so why should I care about you? Just because you’re shameless?”

“I’ve been obedient since I was a child, but you’ve never treated me well. She goes to school and that’s supposed to bring glory to the family, but I can’t?”

“Why should I give up my chance to study for her? If you’re going to be biased, then stop pretending to be fair.”

“You know Song Fu is no good, yet you want me to marry him—how is that not ruining my life? Am I even your real daughter?”

“If you’re so desperate to marry someone off, go do it yourself! That way you can trade yourself for her tuition!”

Having said her piece, Wang Huimin didn’t even bother to see how furious Tian Yongmei had become. She turned and walked out the door.

She had more important things to do.

To be precise—there was a pair of cheating scumbags waiting to be caught in the act.
The real show was just about to begin.