Chapter 1: Book Transmigration

1974, Shuangshan Commune, Shuangshan Bearing Branch Factory.

On the factory building, a large loudspeaker was playing 《We Workers Have Power^[1]咱们工人有力量 – A song written and composed by Ma Ke in 1947 and sung by workers at the Jiamusi Power Plant. The song is a portrait of the spirit of the Chinese working class. 》, and from the workshop doors flowed groups of workers dressed in blue work uniforms.

“Zhao Ke! Zhao Ke!”

A round-faced girl with chin-length short hair and a small freckled nose weaved through her coworkers, deftly dodging left and right, calling out to the slim figure ahead as she ran.

“Zhao Ke!”

Zhao Ke finally heard her and turned around.

Her features were neat and delicate, usually with a gentle smile, but at the moment, she seemed a bit distracted. “Xiao Wen?”

Xiao Wen, already out of breath after only a few steps, put her hand on Zhao Ke’s shoulder to catch her breath and asked, “What… what’s up with you? Why didn’t you wait for me to go back to the dormitory together?”

“I called you, but you didn’t hear.”

Xiao Wen pouted, unhappy.

Zhao Ke casually took a handkerchief from her pocket, wiped her sweat, and apologized, “I didn’t sleep well last night; I got distracted.”

Xiao Wen immediately tilted her head up obediently, asking with concern, “You didn’t make any mistakes, did you?”

Zhao Ke shook her head, “The production line is all delicate work; there’s no way I’d space out.”

Xiao Wen let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, linking her arm with Zhao Ke’s and patting her chest, “Thank goodness, thank goodness, or you’d get scolded by Master Yu.”

Master Yu was a level-seven worker^[2]Section chief level in modern times. It is generally believed that jobs with seven or eight-level standards are complex technical jobs. in the factory, a skilled technician, temporarily transferred from the main factory. She was a woman who was especially strict with the female workers, and with Zhao Ke, she was downright harsh.

Xiao Wen pulled Zhao Ke to the side of the road, sneaking close to her and whispering, “Do you think Master Yu has something against you?”

“Don’t talk nonsense; that’s not true.”

Zhao Ke glanced at the passing coworkers, gave them a gentle smile, and then shook her head seriously at Xiao Wen, “I don’t know about others, but Master Yu being strict with us is her way of looking out for us.”

Xiao Wen agreed, “Alright, alright~”

But she still asked, puzzled, “But you’re already doing so well, so why does Master Yu keep picking on you?”

Why?

Because Zhao Ke lacked ambition.

She rarely made mistakes at work, but outside her tasks, she would avoid anything she could. If she couldn’t avoid it, she would push back, just moving if nudged.

This laid-back attitude seemed extremely out of place among the workers, who were brimming with passion, responding to the call with fervor and dedicating themselves energetically to production.

Master Yu probably resented iron for not becoming steel.

But Zhao Ke really couldn’t make herself work harder.

In her past life, she’d really worked overtime to the point of injury, worked herself to death, even. In this life, although material life was somewhat lacking, she absolutely didn’t want to get caught up in the grind again.

A bit relaxed normally, working hard at critical moments, she had no major worries in life.

The last time she made an effort was a year ago, squeezing into the bearing factory after graduating high school. With a stipend, her standard of living was at the local average level.

The next time, barring any surprises, would be before the reinstatement of the college entrance examination. As long as she passed, her future would be bright.

But if nothing unexpected happened, it seemed something unexpected had indeed happened…

Zhao Ke couldn’t help but get distracted again, while Xiao Wen’s chattering voice became more and more distant in her ears.

The reason she hadn’t slept well last night was because she’d had a dream, a dream about a novel set in a specific era.

The story took place in Zhao Village Production Team (her home), where the male and female leads were educated youths^[3]知青[zhiqing] – Educated youths. These were the young people who—beginning in the 1950s until the end of the Cultural Revolution, willingly or under coercion—left the urban districts of … Continue reading sent down to the countryside. The scumbag male supporting character who harassed the female lead was her younger brother, while the brainless female supporting character, obsessed with the male lead, was her childhood friend. Everyone else in Zhao Village were also supporting characters.

The entire plotline revolved around the male and female leads continuously slapping faces, further slapping faces, repeatedly slapping faces, until in the end, the supporting characters received their deserved punishment, while the male and female leads passed the college entrance exam and returned to the city, continuing to progress together.

The dream had a clear beginning and end, and even after Zhao Ke woke up in shock, she hadn’t completely forgotten it. During the day, she couldn’t help but feel mentally dazed.

There was no sign of her in the dream, but she was wearing it all. This dream… was it really just a dream?

Zhao Ke needed to verify it.

“Hey? Zhao Ke, isn’t that your dad?” Xiao Wen shook Zhao Ke’s arm vigorously, pointing ahead, “Look.”

Zhao Ke snapped back to her senses and looked up at the factory’s large gate. Standing conspicuously outside the gate was a middle-aged man—her father, Zhao Jianguo.

It wasn’t a holiday or festival. Why did her father come to the commune? Zhao Ke felt an inexplicable sense of unease in her heart.

Zhao Jianguo also spotted his daughter and cheerfully waved at her.

The two quickly walked over, and after Xiao Wen greeted him, she left. Zhao Ke asked, “Dad, what brings you here?”

Zhao Jianguo, with his steady temperament, replied calmly, “There’s good news. Let’s talk while we walk.”

Zhao Ke smelled the medicinal fragrance on her father, and seeing his cheerful expression, she couldn’t help but smile as well. “What good news?”

“It’s your Jie^[4]Older sister. Can also be used for non-biologically related older female.,” he said. “She’s going to meet a possible marriage partner. Your mom sent me to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy some sugar.”

They had three siblings: the eldest sister, Zhao Mian; Zhao Ke, the second daughter; and their younger brother, Zhao Feng.

Zhao Ke had a physical aversion to arranged marriages, but she was happy for her elder sister. “Mom is going all out? Must be a good match, huh?”

Zhao Jianguo nodded with a smile, “Yes, he’s a good one. He’s the son of the accountant at Li Village Production Team, named Li Dasheng. Do you know him?”

“Li Dasheng…”

Li Dasheng?!

Zhao Ke suddenly stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening in shock.

Zhao Jianguo’s smile faded, “What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

There was a problem. A big one.

In the dream, her elder sister’s fiancé was Li Dasheng, the son of the accountant at Li Village Production Team.

Before this, Zhao Ke had never heard of this person. She couldn’t have known his name, and it was impossible for her to dream of him out of nowhere.

So, had she really transmigrated into a book?

Zhao Ke pressed her lips together slightly, feeling confused.

In the dream, her elder sister and younger brother were there, but the second daughter “died young from drowning.”

Her parents favored her younger brother, while her elder sister was a “slave” to him.

As for marrying Li Dasheng, she gave her whole dowry of 100 yuan to her parents, and after marriage, nearly all her earnings went back to her family. She always gave in to her brother, indulging him until he became a spoiled troublemaker.

Her in-laws were very unhappy with this, and Li Dasheng frequently lost his temper with her sister. The worst incident had her sister prematurely giving birth, bleeding heavily, resulting in the death of both mother and child.

As for her brother, when he found out his sister had died, he impulsively went to Li Village to fight Li Dasheng, only to be beaten to the point of being crippled, dragging down his parents in their old age.

But the problem was, when she “arrived” at three years old, what she had seen and experienced wasn’t quite like the book. Her parents and sister were different, and her brother was no golden child.

In fact, her elder sister treated her better than her brother.

What was going on with this book?

Zhao Jianguo didn’t hear any response for a while and asked again, “Why aren’t you saying anything? You know a lot of people, did you hear something?”

Zhao Ke didn’t want to say anything that could wrongly accuse something that hadn’t happened, so she simply replied vaguely, “Seems like his temper isn’t very good.”

Zhao Jianguo hesitated a bit, “Your sister doesn’t have a temper, she’s easily bullied, but your mom…”

The Zhao Village Production Team Women’s Director, Comrade Yu Xiulan, had a fiery temper and meant what she said^[5]说一不二 – Say one and mean just that. To keep one’s word..

“Bad temper” didn’t hold any weight with her.

The father and daughter exchanged a look and fell into silence.

After a moment, Zhao Ke asked, “When is my sister meeting her match?”

“The day after tomorrow, they’ve set it for nine in the morning.”

It was on Saturday, so Zhao Ke could go back.

Zhao Ke said, “I’ll go back.”

Zhao Jianguo nodded, “I came to the bearing factory for two reasons: one, to let you know, and the other, your mom said we’re out of sugar ration coupons and need to swap for two from you.”

“We’re family, no need to talk about swapping; just use them. I’ll go back to the dorm and get them.”

“Ding is Ding, Mao is Mao^[6]Lit: Keep Ding, the fourth heavenly stem, distinct from Mao, the fourth earthly branch. Fig: Be meticulous/unambiguous in your dealings.. You’re giving money to the family every month, so we can’t keep taking advantage of you.”

Zhao Ke’s monthly salary was eighteen yuan and thirty-two cents. Her family asked for eight yuan for household expenses, leaving the rest for her.

In Comrade Yu Xiulan’s words, it wasn’t easy for the family to support her through high school, so giving eight yuan was expected. The rest was for her to save for her dowry.

Zhao Ke didn’t mind giving money, but as for the ration coupons, she didn’t save them. Usually, she would quietly exchange them for cash or meat coupons with her coworkers, both to build relationships and to provide a little extra for her family.

Though Comrade Yu Xiulan often scolded her for being “a spendthrift^[7]败家 – squander the family’s fortune.”…

The father and daughter exchanged another look, both clearly thinking of the same thing.

Living under the control of Comrade Yu Xiulan, who would dare to laugh at whom?

Zhao Jianguo spoke again, “Do you have enough fabric coupons to make a new outfit? Your mom said your Jie is growing up and needs new clothes to look presentable.”

“I can swap a few with my coworkers and that should be enough.”

They had just reached the dormitory, so Zhao Ke told her father to wait a moment before running inside.

After about ten minutes, Zhao Ke ran back out, her work cap and sleeve cuffs all removed.

“Dad, I’ll go with you to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.”

But when they got near the supply and marketing cooperative, Zhao Ke didn’t approach. Instead, she stood behind a blooming lilac tree and told her father, “I have a classmate who works inside. Dad, you can tell her my name and ask her to give you a few scraps of cloth to make a headpiece for my elder sister.”

“Your classmate? Why don’t you go talk to her?” Zhao Jianguo was clearly worried about his daughter’s relationship with her classmate.

Zhao Ke didn’t explain, simply saying, “Her dad works at the commune, and she was a bit of a troublemaker back in school. I’m not in the mood to argue with her today. You can just go in yourself and look for the prettiest one at a glance.”

Zhao Jianguo walked into the supply and marketing cooperative, while Zhao Ke stood alone behind the lilac tree. Bored, she picked a bunch of lilac flowers.

Should she go back to the village and observe, just in case?

Zhao Ke pinched the flower stem between two fingers, slowly turning it, and then extended her “magic” hand towards the little flowers.

One flower—go back; 

Two flowers—not going back;

Three flowers…

The last flower—not going back.

Zhao Ke looked at the bare flower stem and plucked another bunch:

Go back, not going back, go back…

And again, not going back.

Zhao Ke wasn’t discouraged. She slightly rolled up her sleeves, revealing her wrist, and picked another bunch.

Not going back, going back, not going back, going back…

Why was it still not going back?

Zhao Ke: “…”

She refused to believe it…

Twenty minutes later, Zhao Jianguo returned, his hands full of things. He walked back to the lilac tree and immediately saw a patch of pink flowers at Zhao Ke’s feet. “The lilacs are blooming beautifully, but why are your hands so restless?”

Zhao Ke took a deep breath; she hadn’t expected her hands to be so bad at this.

Zhao Jianguo casually scolded her, then added, “Your classmate is very polite. She even asked about you.”

Zhao Ke asked, “How did you reply?”

“I told her there was something at the factory, and you hadn’t come out yet.”

Zhao Ke heard this and gave him a thumbs-up. Then she said, “Did you take Uncle Ban’er’s ox cart here? I’ll walk you there.”

She took one of the bags from his hand.

The father and daughter walked toward the road, and Zhao Ke casually asked, “Dad, have any new educated youths come to the village?”

Zhao Jianguo answered, “Yes, four educated youths. I heard they’re from the capital. They look and carry themselves differently from the previous ones. They’re all very handsome.”

“What are their names?”

“I didn’t catch all their names, but there’s one female educated youth, frail and weak. She fainted the first time she went to the fields. I helped her out. Her name is Zhuang Lan.”

Zhuang Lan. The female lead.

Now Zhao Ke was certain, but oddly, she felt calm.

The ox cart was already waiting at the road. Zhao Ke greeted Uncle Ban’er, put down the bag, and urged her father, “Don’t drag it out. Mom will be worried.”

She then stood a little farther away and watched the ox cart slowly disappear.

When you have to choose between two things, you may say you’ll leave it to fate, but what you really hope for deep down is the answer you desire.

Author’s note:

Made some adjustments to the setting and revised the narrative.

This is my first time writing a period novel. Thank you for your support.

TN:

Teaser chapter for my next project. Updates will be sporadic, maybe one or two per week until I’m done with my other project 《Marrying a Husband Across a Thousand Miles in the 1970s[Book Transmigration]》