Chapter 1: The Groom Elopes

The summer solstice marked the end of the wheat harvest and the completion of corn planting, giving farmers a brief respite. With grain secured, villagers began preparing for weddings, eager to avoid winter ceremonies. The cold and scarcity of winter made celebrations inconvenient.

Today was Lin Wan’s wedding day. Her groom was Lu Zhengqi from the Lu Family in Dawan Village—her childhood betrothed.

Lu Zhengqi had graduated high school last year, but the Cultural Revolution had erupted, canceling higher education admissions. Unable to take the university entrance exams and with schools in chaos, he had returned to his hometown to wait out the turmoil.

During that time, he had been hot and cold toward her, even hinting at breaking off their engagement. Gossip suggested he had fallen for another girl, no longer wanting the bride chosen through feudal tradition.

But Lin Wan knew it was just jealous tongues wagging. He would never be so heartless.

And now, he had agreed to marry her this year.

He was cultured, handsome, and kind-hearted—the most outstanding young man in the surrounding villages. Countless girls envied her.

Marrying him would surely make her the target of envy among the village girls.

Lin Wan was strikingly beautiful herself, with luminous almond-shaped eyes, snow-white skin, and a slender figure. She and Lu Zhengqi made a perfect match.

Thinking of Lu Zhengqi’s handsome features, affectionate eyes, and refined manners, the realization that she was about to become his wife filled her heart with honey-sweet joy.

To put it bluntly, she had loved him since she was eight years old—a full decade of devotion. Now, her dream was finally coming true.

Lost in thoughts of her impending marriage, she paid little attention to her surroundings.

Suddenly, she heard a commotion:

“The bride has arrived! Where’s the groom?”

“The groom is missing!”

“What do you mean missing? Call for him!”

“Don’t shout! A girl came looking for Zhengqi, saying someone was ill. They rushed off together.”

“What does this mean? The bride is here! Is the wedding still on?”

What? Fourth Brother has eloped? Impossible!

Lin Wan leaped from the carriage. “Fourth Brother! Fourth Brother?”

Soon, the wedding procession and the Lu family were arguing. One side demanded the groom be produced, while the other urged calm and reasoned discussion.

Lin Wan felt as if a bucket of icy water had been dumped over her head, chilling her to the core. Her limbs turned numb, her body stiffened, and her mind reeled with despair at Lu Zhengqi’s abandonment.

“Lu Zhengqi!” she screamed. “Come out! Come out!” She plunged into the crowd, tearing through the throng to find her groom.

In the chaos, someone shoved her, sending her stumbling into a sharp corner. The corner struck her temple, drawing a gush of blood as she collapsed unconscious.

“Ah—a dead person!”

Lin Wan’s head throbbed with excruciating pain, as if someone had split her skull open. How could she have been so unlucky? All she had done was visit an art exhibition, and now she’d been struck by a falling chandelier.

Her eyelids felt too heavy to open, so she forced herself to calm down and focus. She vaguely remembered hearing a voice as the chandelier crashed down, claiming to be an omnipotent medical system. It had offered to bind with her, transport her through time and space, and grant her a new life. The system had asked for her consent, but she had been on the verge of losing consciousness and couldn’t recall whether she had agreed.

Just as she was about to attempt communication with the system, a sharp, wailing cry pierced the air:

“My poor, wretched daughter! How could your marriage end like this? That cursed Lu Zhengqi! If you didn’t want her, why did you marry her? Why did you run off after she became your wife? You damned dog! May lightning strike you down!”

Lin Wan’s eyes snapped open. Beside her stood a gaunt, middle-aged woman, sobbing hysterically as she wiped away tears.

Is this my mother?

Lin Wan froze, then realized: she had truly transmigrated!

She had entered a historical romance novel. The original owner of this body shared her name, and this woman was the original owner’s mother.

As this dawned on her, a flood of memories surged into her mind—the original owner’s memories and the novel’s plot. The sheer volume of information threatened to overwhelm her, nearly bursting her skull. She cried out in pain.

“Wanyuan, Wanyuan, you’re awake! Thank heavens!” Mother Lin stopped wailing and rushed to check on her daughter, pressing her hand to keep her from touching the gauze on her head.

Lin Wan already knew what had happened—she had a hole in her temple, a serious injury.

She glanced at her mother. Mother Lin, weakened by illness and years of hard labor, looked more than a decade older than her actual age.

Wiping away tears, Mother Lin said, “Wanyuan, don’t be afraid. Qiangzi came with your father. They found the Brigade Cadre here to demand justice. If the Lu Family dares to bully us, I’ll risk my life to get you justice.”

Lin Wan, who had always supported herself, was deeply moved by her mother’s fierce protectiveness. A wave of sorrow washed over her—the original Lin Wan was gone.

Tears streamed down her face as she choked out, “Mom, I’m okay.”

Seeing her daughter awake, Mother Lin called for someone to bring chicken egg soup.

Soon, a woman brought a large bowl of egg drop soup. Mother Lin helped her daughter sit up and fed her.

After drinking the soup, Lin Wan’s mind cleared somewhat. Then she heard the men outside arguing loudly.

The Lin Family demanded an explanation and insisted on bringing Lu Zhengqi back by force. The Lu Family promised an explanation and refused to shirk responsibility, but their heated arguments led nowhere.

Someone shouted, “Your Lu Family is being utterly unreasonable! If that’s how it is, we’re taking our daughter back, and we won’t return a single coin of the betrothal gifts! We’ll find a better match for our eldest niece!”

An old woman screeched, “Dream on! We paid more betrothal gifts than anyone else! If the marriage is off, you’ll return every last penny—not a single coin less!”

Listening to their bickering, Lin Wan understood the situation.

The Lin Family was headed by her eldest uncle. If she returned home after a broken engagement, the clan would consider it a loss of face, a disgrace that would jeopardize the marriage prospects of her younger siblings. Her eldest uncle would immediately arrange another marriage for her. But having just been rejected by the Lu Family, no respectable family would want her. She’d likely be forced to marry some old bachelor or outcast, and even her parents’ objections would be futile.

The truth was, her maternal family was weak. Her two older brothers had developed epilepsy in their early teens and were now unable to work properly. Her father, a proud man, had overworked himself for years to support the family, leaving him with a chronic illness. He now coughed up blood frequently, and according to the plot, he wouldn’t survive the next two years.

Despite their frail health, her parents were determined to support their daughter. Lin Wan knew she couldn’t return home and burden them further.

According to the original plot, after waking up, the original owner had grown to hate the male lead, Lu Zhengqi, vowing to make his life miserable. Unable to return home, she spitefully married Lu Zhengqi’s disabled third brother, Lu Zhengting, to remain in the Lu Family.

Staying in the Lu Family drove the original owner down a dark path. She became increasingly radical, dedicating her life to creating trouble for the original male and female leads, eagerly courting humiliation, and stubbornly refusing to live her own life. Her tragic end even dragged her adopted son into darkness, leading to Lu Zhengting’s miserable death.

Thinking of the future plot, Lin Wan shuddered. She absolutely couldn’t repeat those mistakes.

Moreover, with her medical system, she could live a good life.

If she couldn’t return home and cause trouble, she could stay in the Lu Family. Even if Lu Zhengqi never came back, she would maintain her status as his wife. If he dared commit bigamy, she would sue him! Besides, there was Lu Zhengting. The original owner had married him without ever becoming his true wife, yet she had dragged him into her mess, leaving him in debt. With her medical system, she could compensate him for the original owner’s wrongs and strive to cure his disability.

Lu Zhengting had always been a prodigy, starting to read at the age of three and excelling in his studies. Later, he contracted a strange illness that left him deaf. However, his exceptional vision and sense of smell led to his recruitment into a special military unit. His monthly salary of sixty to seventy yuan, higher than that of ordinary cadres, allowed the Lu Family to live more comfortably than others, and enabled Lu Zhengqi and his sister to attend high school.

A talent like him was far superior to Lu Zhengqi! Unfortunately, he was injured in the line of duty, leaving him with permanent leg disabilities and forcing him to retire home.

At that moment, Father Lin stood at the doorway and said, “We need to ask my daughter what she wants. What are your thoughts, dear? Do you want to stay married to that scoundrel or come home? Don’t be afraid. If you want to stay with him, we’ll tie him up and bring him back. With the support of the Brigade Cadres, we’ll drag him out even if he hides in a rock crevice! Once he’s back, we’ll make sure he treats you right and lives peacefully. If he ever dares fool around again, we’ll break his legs! But if you don’t want to stay with him, we’ll…”

Father Lin felt a pang of heartache. His daughter’s reputation had been ruined, and her beauty would only invite gossip and speculation in the future. He was furious, wishing he could drag that bastard Lu Zhengqi back and break his legs on the spot!

Lu Zhengqi’s mother immediately bristled. “Why are you talking about breaking legs and killing him? Our Zhengqi…”

“Your Zhengqi ruined my reputation!” Lin Wan interrupted coldly. Now completely composed, she was determined to live well for the original owner of this body—to honor her parents and turn her life around.

She slowly turned to face a thin-faced, sharp-featured old woman glaring at her with venomous fury. “What do you want?” the old woman demanded. “I’ll make Zhengqi come back and apologize properly. But if he absolutely refuses…”

Lin Wan cut her off with a snort. “He ruined my reputation, making it impossible for me to marry. I still need to live. Either you pay me a thousand yuan, or…”

A thousand yuan?

The Lu Family members’ eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re really trying to rob us!”

Lin Wan raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “Or… you can have Lu Zhengting take his place as the groom!”