Chapter 1

When Lu Yun woke up, she poured herself a glass of water, and took large gulps.

Despite wiping the sweat from her brow, she still felt uncomfortably warm.

She took a few steps forward, opened the window, and looked out at the night view.

Gradually, Lu Yun calmed down. She thought she must be going mad.

A character from an online novel—a male supporting character—had appeared in her dreams, and she could vividly recall his appearance.

Just then, a friend called. “So, did you read the novel I recommended? Isn’t the male supporting character’s life just tragic? He loves the female supporting character so much, giving her all the affection he never received himself.

He pours everything he wants onto her, hoping to fill her life with what he lacked, but she only has eyes for the male lead. She looks down on him, bullies him, and even throws away or gives away the gifts he brings her. The male supporting character’s ending is so heartbreaking for me.”

The novel her friend recommended was set in an earlier era. Apparently, she had been drawn to it because the female supporting character shared the same name as Lu Yun. After reading it, she passed the recommendation on to Lu Yun.

Lu Yun stayed up late to finish it, and then, while she slept, she dreamed of the male supporting character from the book.

In the story, the female supporting character was weak, unable to do much for herself. After she married the male lead, his family grew to resent her because of her delicate nature and inability to handle hardship.

Their lives became chaotic, and, in the end, the male lead even suggested a divorce.

That part opened the novel. After his divorce, the male lead met the female lead.

The female lead was virtuous and capable, quickly winning the affection of the male lead’s entire family. Once they married, her popularity only grew. But the female supporting character hadn’t exited the story yet.

Unwilling to accept defeat, she continued to stir up trouble, and the male supporting character became the enabler behind her schemes.

Despite being loathed by her, he continued to support and protect her. In the finale, due to his unwavering loyalty to the female supporting character, his company went bankrupt, and he even ended up in prison.

Before going to jail, he gave everything he owned to the female supporting character and asked a childhood friend to help take care of her.

He was smiling as he told her, “Wait a few years. When I get out, I’ll be here to protect you again.”

He reached out, brushed her hair gently, and looked at her for a long time before turning to leave.

She stood there, biting her lip, trying not to cry.

With that, the male supporting character and the female supporting character left the story.

She never reappeared in the male lead’s life. It was as if the male lead and female lead had moved on to a different map, taking their lives to the provincial capital to continue their careers.

Their story hadn’t ended; there were still more characters to contend with, with thousands of words yet to be written.

Lu Yun had stopped reading once the male supporting character and female supporting character exited the story.

The novel mainly depicted how the female lead, with her virtues and kindness, won the admiration of the male lead and his entire family. Eventually, the male lead came to love her deeply.

Meanwhile, the male and female supporting characters had few scenes, appearing only when the plot needed them, with sparse details.

While Lu Yun did feel sympathy for the male supporting character and the female supporting character, she couldn’t entirely understand the lesson.

Did it truly mean one had to be virtuous and compliant to earn the love of her husband and his family?

The novel had described how the female supporting character was scolded by the neighbors for being rude when she argued with the male lead’s spoiled little sister, yet before her marriage, she too had been a cherished and pampered young lady.

Moreover, the male lead should have known before marrying the female supporting character that she was the type who couldn’t endure hardship and was a bit spoiled.

Lu Yun’s friend continued, “I want to read the chapters after the male supporting character and female supporting character exit. I’m curious if they’ll appear again in the story.”

Lu Yun replied, “Sure, let me know what you find out after you finish reading. But I don’t think they’ll have any more closure. The female supporting character won’t show up in the male lead’s life again, and if she doesn’t appear, then the male supporting character won’t either.”

“Well, if I find Lu the Food Blogger, I want you to cook for me!” her friend exclaimed.

“Okay, if you find him, just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it for you.”

“If you can’t find him, I still want to eat!”

Lu Yun propped her chin up with both hands as she sat by the window, unable to shake off thoughts of the male supporting character’s appearance. His sharp eyes held a hint of defiance, and when he smiled at her, there seemed to be a trace of tenderness.

Shaking her head, Lu Yun dismissed her thoughts. She realized she was probably overthinking. It was likely because the female supporting character shared her name, which made her feel more connected to the story. Although she loved reading novels and had many favorites, none had affected her as deeply as this one.

Rising, she decided to go back to sleep.

Outside the window, the night sky twinkled with the Seven Stars in a Row, the flashes so brief that they were nearly imperceptible. Even if one were to catch a glimpse, they might assume it was merely an illusion.

—o—o—o—

Lu Yun glanced around the room, which felt both old and nostalgic. Rubbing her temples, she recalled waking up in this place. At first, she thought she was dreaming, so she pinched herself, only to feel a sting of pain.

Afterward, she had tried to sleep again, hoping that when she awoke, she would find herself back in her apartment. But no matter how hard she tried, she still woke up in this strange place.

She had traveled through time.

Holding the calendar, Lu Yun stared at the year 1988, momentarily at a loss for words to express her feelings.

At that moment, she felt a strange sense of relief. She was glad her parents had divorced and then each formed new families and had children. Besides a close friend, she had no one else with whom she shared a particularly close relationship. Otherwise, she imagined that if she were worried about the people from her life before, she would be anxious about what to do now.

Lu Yun began busying herself with gathering information about the original owner of her identity when she suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. She heard the sound of the system, and when she opened her eyes again, her expression was filled with undeniable surprise.

She hadn’t expected that what was even more outrageous than time travel was that she hadn’t just traveled; she had also entered a novel. She had become the female supporting character named Lu Yun, just like the character from the book she had read yesterday.

A mechanical voice echoed, “You are not merely traversing a novel; you are the original character. Your presence here is also a result of your own request.”

Having read many time-travel novels, Lu Yun had some understanding of this phenomenon. “Are you a golden finger?” she asked.

The system replied, “No, I am just here to answer your questions and help you adapt to life here quickly before moving on to assist the next person.”

Although the system claimed not to be a golden finger, Lu Yun felt that it was indeed helping her, making her life here much easier.

—o—o—o—

The aged, nostalgic curtain was lifted, revealing a woman in her forties who was wiping her hands on her apron. “I’ve boiled some eggs for you. Hurry up and eat your breakfast; you have to go to work,” she said.

This woman was Lu Yun’s mother, Zhang Meili.

Thanks to the system’s hints, Lu Yun knew who she was.

What surprised Lu Yun was that she felt no sense of strangeness towards Zhang Meili, even without having regained her memories.

Zhang Meili said, “The eggs are ready. Come on, eat your breakfast.”

Lu Yun looked up at Zhang Meili, opening her mouth but unable to say anything.

“Or, if you don’t feel like going to work today, I can call in and ask for a leave for you?” Zhang Meili offered.

Lu Yun didn’t really want to go to work and felt no inclination to do so. She nodded, and Zhang Meili smiled as if she were pleased that Lu Yun wouldn’t be going to work.

Then she turned and left.

“Grandpa Lu, Grandpa Lu, I’ll stop by the office later and request a leave for my daughter,” Zhang Meili called out.

“Alright, I understand,” came the reply.

Lu Yun was still lost in thought about her time travel when her stomach growled loudly. She patted her belly, realizing she indeed needed breakfast.

The Lu family had all left for work, but breakfast was left on the table for Lu Yun: a bowl of plain porridge, a boiled egg, and a small dish of pickled vegetables. She was surprised to discover that the flavor of the pickled vegetables resembled the ones she usually made.

At that moment, if she thought about her experience—just reading a novel and sharing a name with a female supporting character—she found it bizarre enough. Yet, with the presence of the system, it became even more surreal.

Finishing her breakfast, Lu Yun cleaned her bowl completely, even going back for a second helping of porridge.

The Lu family lived in a courtyard house in the county town, and it was not just the Lu family residing there. As Lu Yun stepped outside, she found the courtyard bustling with activity, with people greeting her. She thought she might feel awkward, but her actions quickly overtook her thoughts; she smiled and returned their greetings before washing her bowl in the courtyard.

As she washed the dishes, she took in the lively atmosphere around her, slowly calming down.

In fact, she had begun to adjust her mood while eating. Before her time travel, with the rise of the internet, she had graduated and become a food blogger, busy with her daily meals, soaking up the sun in the afternoons, sometimes participating in events, or gathering with peers to taste delicious food.

Food was what could quiet Lu Yun and heal her. Moreover, she realized she couldn’t return to her previous life now.

However, in this era, even if she wanted to be a food blogger, she would have to wait at least a decade or more, right?

After cleaning the bowl and drying it, Lu Yun returned inside.

Life had to go on. Her teacher had told her that if she learned a skill, she would never go hungry as long as she worked hard. Furthermore, she had family and a job here.

Compared to other time-travel novels Lu Yun had read, her situation was quite good. The story hadn’t officially started yet, and she hadn’t even married the male lead. In fact, there was still a long way to go before the novel’s plot kicked off.

—o—o—o—

Lu Yun asked the system various questions about living here and the Lu family’s circumstances, and the system answered them all. However, when she inquired about why she had traveled from modern times back to this era, the system only told her that she would know the answer in the future the first time. After that, it fell silent.

Once the system had helped Lu Yun understand her current situation and saw that she could adapt to life with the Lu family, it ceased to appear. According to its explanation, it was off to help others.

Outside the door, a clear voice called, “Ah Yun, Ah Yun.”

Soon, the speaker pushed the door open and entered.

The newcomer smiled. “Ah Yun, hurry, I have a blind date today! My brother got my clothes dirty. Can you help me find an outfit? I need to handle this blind date quickly. The guy is supposed to have great conditions; I can’t miss out on him. And he’s really good-looking too!”

The person who entered was Lu Yun’s little cousin. Lu Yun had a good relationship with her, so she opened the wardrobe and let her pick out an outfit. After rummaging through the clothes, her cousin found a new blue floral dress still wrapped in a bag. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Lu Yun, who smiled and told her to take it and wear it.

“Thank you, cousin! If this works out, I’ll have you as my bridesmaid and give you a really big red envelope!” her little cousin said excitedly.

After finishing her sentence, she bounced out of the room, looking particularly happy.

Once she returned home and changed into the dress, she discovered that the dress had a handkerchief and some Snow Cream hidden inside. She paused for a moment, thinking Lu Yun had forgotten to take them out. Just as she was about to pack the items to return to Lu Yun, she heard the family urging her from outside. She had no choice but to put the items back in the bag, planning to return the handkerchief and Snow Cream along with the dress once it was washed.

—o—o—o—

The Lu family had arranged for Lu Yun to take a day off from work, and since the next day was the weekend, she could enjoy three consecutive days of rest. On the first day, Lu Yun stayed at home feeling a bit restless. However, the following morning, she got up, freshened up, and changed her clothes, planning to go out and explore.

As she walked out from the alley, she took in the sights that she hadn’t seen before her time travel. The people around her seemed to exude a sense of simplicity, and she noticed girls in skirts sporting a unique sense of fashion. While some modern people might consider these styles outdated, Lu Yun found them charming, appreciating the unique style of the era.

Not far away, someone spotted Lu Yun and quickly hid, and as soon as she exited the alley, that person ran off in a hurry.

The small county town of the 1980s was filled with vibrant energy. Lu Yun didn’t venture too far, likely due to her love for cooking. She visited the local market, then headed to the Cotton Textile Factory where she worked.

Her job involved office work at the Cotton Textile Factory, and her high school diploma allowed her to secure such a position; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to do office work.

After visiting the market and the Cotton Textile Factory, Lu Yun was almost back home just in time for lunch. She recalled Zhang Meili mentioning that they would be making dumplings for lunch, which made her quicken her pace.

Perhaps it was because Lu Yun had always been a food enthusiast, believing that life revolved around three meals a day, each one needing to be satisfying. This belief was also why she had learned to cook and became a food blogger later on.

As she reached the entrance of the alley, Lu Yun spotted a man standing there, and her steps unconsciously came to a halt.

It was him—the man she had dreamed about, the male supporting character from the novel, He Cheng’an.

The fact that she had traveled through time and was now living in this new reality occupied her thoughts so much that she had forgotten she had dreamed about He Cheng’an before her time travel, the very character who left both her and her friend feeling unresolved.

Taking a few steps forward, Lu Yun hesitated, planning to continue on her way, but then He Cheng’an grasped her wrist.

With a smile, he asked, “Why haven’t you eaten the braised pork I gave you? Why did you give away the Snow Cream and the dress? Do you really dislike me that much?”