“That shameless little wretch! All she had to do was go to the countryside, but she dared to hang herself to spite me—how infuriating!”

“Mom, just coax her a little. Whether I get that job or not depends on her agreeing.”  

“I know, Jing’er, don’t worry. The job at the embroidery factory will definitely be yours… If she refuses, I’ll just knock her out and send her to the Zhang family. Once she’s there, your job will be secured either way.” 

“What about Dad?” 

“Don’t worry about your father. If he really cared about this daughter, he wouldn’t have made her take your place in the countryside…”  

Their voices dripped with mockery.  

Yi Chichi lay on the narrow wooden bed, listening to the two women outside speak without restraint, her face expressionless.  

Who would have thought that half an hour ago, this body had gotten a new occupant?  

She had originally been a 21st-century inheritor of Suzhou embroidery, a representative of China’s national intangible cultural heritage. But thanks to a small pebble, she tripped and fell—straight into the 1970s.  

Now, she was a 17-year-old girl named Yi Chichi, sharing the same name as her former self.  

The original owner of this body was a pitiful soul. At three years old, her mother—a warehouse keeper—had died saving state property from a fire.  

Her father, Yi Yong, rode the wave of his wife’s sacrifice to climb the ranks at the textile factory, eventually becoming the head of the production department.  

Had he been a decent man, the original Yi Chichi’s life wouldn’t have been so miserable.  

But Yi Yong was ruthless, a hardcore believer in favoring sons over daughters.  

Before his late wife’s seventh-day memorial had even passed, Yi Yong remarried—this time to Zhang Lanxiang, a woman who brought along a daughter of her own.  

As the saying goes, a stepmother means a stepfather too.  

Especially after Zhang Lanxiang gave birth to twins—a boy and a girl—the following year, the original Yi Chichi became nothing more than a pitiful little slave.  

Going hungry and wearing rags was the norm. Beatings and curses were daily occurrences.  

And yet, just a few days ago, Yi Yong had demanded she give up her job at the embroidery factory to her stepsister and take her stepsister’s place in the countryside.  

Of course, the original Yi Chichi refused. But she was no match for Yi Yong.  

Her crying and resistance only earned her a beating so severe she couldn’t get out of bed.  

Her name was submitted for the countryside in her stepsister’s stead.  

When she realized she had lost her job and going to the countryside was inevitable, she flew into a rage, even threatening to hang herself.  

She didn’t die—but her defiance humiliated Yi Yong, who exploded in fury and beat her again.  

And it was that beating that took the original Yi Chichi’s life.  

When she woke up—it was her inside this body now.

Yi Chichi touched the swollen lump on the back of her head and sighed. What a pitiful girl. 

Having lived for seventeen years, her greatest wish had simply been to eat a full meal.  

A gnawing hunger drove her to push through her weakness and climb out of bed. The most urgent matter now was filling her stomach.  

Years of starvation and neglect had left the original owner severely malnourished, with chronic stomach problems.  

She needed to nurse this body back to health first.  

As for the future…  

Cross that bridge when we come to it.

A living person can’t be choked to death by their own piss.

The Yi family lived in a two-bedroom apartment—solid, practical square footage without the shared-space scams of future generations. Compared to most households, their living conditions were quite spacious.  

Yet, despite the ample room, the original Yi Chichi had been confined to a dark, cramped, and damp storage room. Where’s the justice in that? 

As Yi Chichi pushed open the door, the creaking sound made the two women chatting freely freeze mid-sentence.  

When did that wretched girl wake up? Did she hear them?!

Seeing Yi Jing’s panicked expression, Zhang Lanxiang sighed inwardly. This child still lacks composure—nothing like my own steady nerves. 

She patted Yi Jing’s hand reassuringly, signaling her not to panic, then adjusted her expression before turning to Yi Chichi.  

“Xiao Chi, you’re awake! Oh, you silly child, why must you be so unreasonable?” 

“Hasn’t your sister always treated you well? Giving her your job and taking her place in the countryside isn’t such a big deal—why must you torment yourself like this?”

“Listen to me, dear. Stay in the countryside for a couple of years. Once policies loosen up, your father and I will pull some strings to bring you back. It’s not like you’ll be stuck there forever!”  

Her voice was honey-sweet, her face the picture of maternal kindness—but the words that came out were downright inhuman.  

Yi Jing, formerly Zhou Jing, the stepsister who had taken the Yi family name, chimed in with a fragile, tearful look.  

“Sister, I’m so sorry… but I have no choice. You know how weak my health is…”  

As she spoke, she studied Yi Chichi’s expression. Seeing no reaction, she bit her lip, her eyes reddening as delicate tears began to fall.  

“Sister, please… I’m begging you… Help me this once, won’t you?”  

Yi Jing wasn’t bad-looking—in fact, she was the epitome of a delicate white lotus. Her tearful appearance was enough to soften hearts.  

But Yi Chichi felt no sympathy. Only amusement.  

Such a low-tier white lotus, still unpolished in her craft. This fake, pitiful act is downright nauseating.

“Fine.” 

“What?!” 

Both Zhang Lanxiang and Yi Jing gaped at her.  

“Xiao Chi… you’re really willing to give me your job and go to the countryside for me?”

Yi Jing could hardly believe it. Excitement and joy nearly spilled from her eyes, but she forcefully held them back.  

“Sister, I never wanted it to be like this…”  

“But don’t worry, I… I’ll remember your kindness for the rest of my life… Sister, I’m so sorry you have to suffer like this…”  

Tears of happiness welled up in her eyes, yet she still managed to cry pitifully, as if she were the one being wronged.  

Yi Chichi watched this hypocritical performance without an ounce of sympathy.  

The original owner really was pitiful, having lived under the same roof as this nest of morally bankrupt people for so many years. 

A trace of mockery flickered deep in her eyes, but her pale, gaunt face remained utterly sincere.  

“It’s okay, Sister. But… you know how hard life in the countryside is, right?”

“Yes, I know.”

That’s exactly why I refuse to go.

Yi Jing grabbed Yi Chichi’s hand anxiously. “Sister, don’t worry! I’ll make sure Mom prepares everything you need for the countryside, so you can live as comfortably as possible!” 

“That’s right!” 

For once, Zhang Lanxiang caught on quickly, jumping in to reassure Yi Chichi before she could change her mind.  

“Xiao Chi, don’t you worry. Mom promises to get everything ready for you—properly!”  

Then, unable to contain her eagerness, she blurted, “So… about the job transfer, can we get it done today?”  

Her impatience made it seem like she thought the world would end tomorrow.  

“Not today.” 

“Why not?!”  

Zhang Lanxiang’s mouth opened, ready to unleash a scolding, but Yi Chichi refused to give her the chance.  

“I haven’t informed the supervisor yet.”  

She blinked innocently, her pale lips parting to deliver words that instantly put the mother-daughter pair at ease.  

“I’ll go talk to the leadership right away. Once it’s settled, I’ll come back right before closing time to take Sister to finalize the paperwork.”  

Turning to Yi Jing, she wore an expression of pure sincerity on her thin face.  

“Sister, don’t worry. The job is definitely yours. What’s mine is yours—we’re sisters, after all! No need to stand on ceremony. I know you’ve always cared for me the most… so of course, I’ll care for you too!”

And right after this, I’ll head straight to the Youth League office to register her for rural labor.  

Good sisters should share both blessings and hardships. There’s no reason I should go to the countryside while this second-rate white lotus gets to stay in the city as a factory worker. 

Dream on!