Chapter 5: Absorbing the Medicinal Essence

Wow! Five yuan for pocket money—is that separate from the fifty yuan?

If Old Madam Lu found out, she’d go ballistic and scold him even more. She’d also demand to know where he got the money. The Old Madam never allowed her sons or daughter-in-laws to hide money, and it was said that Lu Zhengting’s subsidies were all managed by her. Would she really let him keep any?

Lin Wan was genuinely surprised. She hadn’t expected Lu Zhengting to be so generous.

Five yuan was a substantial sum. An egg cost only three or four fen, so five yuan could buy more than a hundred eggs!

A warm feeling spread through Lin Wan’s heart.

Before transmigrating, she had run a small business, but she still vividly remembered the joy of receiving pocket money from her Grandma as a child—even fifty fen or a single yuan had made her ecstatic.

Now, the stakes felt even higher. Lu Zhengting had given her five yuan! What a truly good man.

She couldn’t help but recall the original owner’s marriage. The original owner’s love for Lu Zhengqi had soured into hatred, but she never once loved Lu Zhengting. Though they lived under the same roof, they rarely interacted. Yet whenever Old Madam Lu mistreated her, or when she brought trouble upon herself, Lu Zhengting would quietly help—though she never noticed.

Later, when Lu Zhengqi returned, he felt guilty, believing he had ruined her life by letting her marry his Third Brother. He began treating her well and even helped with chores, rekindling her hope that he still loved her. This hope fueled her obsession, a tangled mix of love and resentment. Driven by this, she relentlessly antagonized the female lead, only to be repeatedly humiliated and defeated.

In the end, she met a tragic death.

Lin Wan sighed.

System: [Host, you can do this! Study medicine diligently, heal Lu Zhengting’s body and soul, and become his little angel for life!]

Lin Wan: “Please rest and recuperate.”

System: [I’m working hard to find a way to repair myself. Have faith in me, Host! Fist bump!]

Though the System was currently useless, it gave Lin Wan a boost of confidence.

—

She set off to find Lu Zhenggao.

Lu Zhenggao, the team leader of her group, was the eldest brother of Lu Zhengting’s great-grandfather’s line. Around forty years old, he had a broad, purplish-red face and a sturdy build, known for his hard work and quiet authority.

As families prepared breakfast, Lu Zhenggao was heading to the Brigade Headquarters for a meeting to assign tasks for the slack season. Some teams would repair irrigation canals, others would compost manure, and still others would maintain drainage ditches.

Pressed for time, Lu Zhenggao gave Lin Wan a cursory listen before saying, “You just got married and have a head injury. Take a couple of days to rest, and we’ll figure things out later. Your aunt’s family won’t miss your share of food for a few days.”

With that, he hurried off.

Lin Wan was stunned. She hadn’t expected such kindness. He had actually offered her time off. Compared to Old Madam Lu, it felt almost unreal. She had carefully planned how to deal with the Team Leader, anticipating his reactions and crafting her responses—but none of it had been necessary.

…….

Before breakfast, Lin Wan strolled to the village entrance to familiarize herself with her surroundings.

Although she had the original owner’s memories and the plot as a foundation, they were still just knowledge, not her own lived experience. Everything felt distant and unreal.

She pieced together that Dawan Village belonged to the Wiliu Brigade under the Dashiqiao Commune in Qishan County.

Qishan County, true to its name, was mountainous, with peaks scattered like chess pieces across the landscape. With over five thousand hills, the area had rugged terrain, scarce water, and little arable land.

The brigade comprised eight natural villages, with Dawan, Xiaowan, and Hugoutang clustered together. Over half their farmland consisted of terraced fields.

In this lush season, the view from the village entrance was breathtaking: rolling mountains shrouded in mist, a picturesque scene of verdant peaks and clear waters.

Though Old Madam Lu was detestable, the scenery was undeniably beautiful. Lin Wan immediately fell in love with it.

Alone, with no enemies nearby, she watched the eastern horizon blaze like brocade as the sun rose. Cicadas buzzed, frogs croaked, lush grass carpeted the ground, and a stream gurgled gently nearby.

She wanted to take a solitary walk to clear her head.

The past two days had been overwhelming, testing even her resilience.

—

In her previous life, she had been born in the 1980s, during the strictest enforcement of the one-child policy. Her parents, who favored sons, had given her away at birth, just as they had her second sister. Three years later, her adoptive mother, pregnant and unable to care for her, returned her to her birth family.

But her mother had secretly given birth to another daughter and, resentful, branded her a jinx, treating her with growing disdain and frequent beatings. Her elderly grandmother, unable to bear the abuse, took her in. Though eccentric, the old woman showered her with warmth and ensured she received an education.

She loved her grandmother dearly.

She vowed to repay that kindness. But fate was cruel. During her university years, her grandmother suddenly passed away. Returning home for the funeral, she learned from neighbors that her mother and uncle had driven her grandmother to her death for planning to leave her the family’s only house.

This betrayal severed all ties with her family. She donned armor, grew strong, but also increasingly isolated.

To reassure her grandmother’s spirit, she worked tirelessly, earning money and filling her days with purpose. She even supported several impoverished students, yet refused to buy her brother a house or car.

Her mother cursed her as ungrateful, wishing she had drowned at birth.

But Lin Wan was determined to live well.

Then came the devastating diagnosis: a terminal illness with only months to live. She resolved not to leave her money to her family, planning instead to donate it all and wait for death in solitude.

But fate intervened again. At an art exhibition, a chandelier crashed down—and at the same moment, the System bound itself to her, transporting her here.

Perhaps it was a dying hallucination. But for now, it was real. She would live fully, sincerely, and passionately.

Hands on her hips, she took a deep breath of crisp air. “I’m putting down roots here. Anyone who thinks they can bully me can think again!”

She wouldn’t hesitate to be a wicked daughter-in-law or even a shrew. To those who treated her well, she would repay tenfold. To those who wronged her, she would retaliate mercilessly.

I am the master of my own life, and I will never yield, even in death.

Tears streamed down her face.

System: [Host, you’re the best! Xiao Jiu will always be by your side, through thick and thin, forever and always.]

Though damaged, the System was endearing—more like a beloved family member than a machine. It issued no missions, only comfort and companionship.

Lin Wan craved that warmth. It was also what drew her to Lu Zhengting—a bond of shared vulnerability.

She laughed through her tears. “Fresh start, one last farewell to the past. From now on, a new life. 1968, here we come!”

System: [We’re here! Prepare for the changes we’ll bring! Let’s go!]

…….

Lin Wan hiked up her pants and sprinted through the tall grass, sweating as though purging venom from her heart, leaving her refreshed.

[“Ugh… ahh…”] The System suddenly let out a groan, both pained and relieved.

“Hey, little 39, what’s wrong?” Lin Wan asked.

The System exclaimed. [Miss! I’ve found a way to repair myself!]

Lin Wan brightened. “Really? What do I do?”

[Please crouch down and pluck a medicinal herb for me to smell.]

She glanced down. Unsure of herbs, she still knew many wild plants had medicinal value. She plucked a large plantain leaf, sniffed it, and waited.

The system declared.[“Exactly like that! I can absorb the medicinal essence of herbs. Bit by bit, it will repair me.”]

It would be a long process—ordinary herbs weren’t much for such a complex AI—but even partial repair would be enough to help her.

“If I just wander in the wild, can you absorb them?” Lin Wan asked.

[“Xiao Jiu is too weak. You must harvest them yourself.”]

“No problem,” she said confidently. “Digging wild herbs is my specialty.”

She examined the herbs already absorbed. Their essence was gone, but the moisture and nutrients remained—still usable for livestock.

“I’ll gather more right away.” She dug with her bare hands, piling a bundle until the

System reminded her, [“Host, it’s time for dinner.”]

Hungry, she tied the herbs with a vine, carried them home, and walked in—only to find Old Madam Lu cursing, her face dark with anger. She berated everyone—calling Lin Wan lazy, Third Brother useless, Second Brother stubborn, and her eldest daughter unfilial—though she spared her eldest son and youngest daughter.

But when she saw Lin Wan return with herbs on her back, half her venomous words died in her throat.

The men had already eaten and gone to work. Lu Dasao and Lu Ersao ate quickly, fed their babies, and hurried off too.

Old Madam Lu snorted. “Remember to come back early. Don’t be late for work.”

Lin Wan tossed the herbs aside. “The team leader said I cracked my head and might get tetanus. He told me to rest at home.”

She washed her hands and went to eat.

Old Madam Lu nearly jumped. “You actually took his polite words seriously? Is he giving you food rations too?”

Lin Wan ignored her and ate the unappetizing corn buns and porridge. Still, she secretly vowed: One day, I’ll split this household and cook delicious food every day!

Skewers, hotpot, roast lamb, sour beef soup, snail noodles, endless varieties—I’ll eat them all!

She forced the food down. Looking up, she noticed several children grinning at her.

From her memories, she recalled them: Lu Dage’s four children—Mingshan (9), Bao’er (7), Mingliang (5), and Qian’er (3).

Lu Er-ge had only two children—Gua’er (5) and Mingrui (2).

What kind of names are these? All Old Madam Lu’s handiwork!

“Where’s your Third Uncle?” she asked.

“He went to the Production Brigade to earn work points!” Mingliang replied eagerly.

“Third Uncle is impressive! He’s the most capable in our family.”

“Grandma says Fourth Uncle is the best!” Bao’er piped up.

Lu Zhengqi and Lu Xinlian were Old Madam’s darlings. The others were disposable, tools for her comfort.

Lin Wan’s gaze turned cold. “Lu Zhengqi is the most irresponsible, dog-like man!”

Old Madam Lu stormed in, furious. “How dare you badmouth their Fourth Uncle in front of the children? Teaching them such habits!”

Lin Wan ignored her, washed her bowl, grabbed her basket and shovel, and went to dig herbs.

Old Madam Lu chased after her. “Are you deaf? You need to report to me every time you come and go!”

Lin Wan sneered. “Report in the morning, report at night? Aren’t you afraid of being paraded through the streets and beaten? I’ll go to the loudspeaker now and tell the whole village to report to you!”