Chapter 2

The letter from Lu Cheng, Wen Ning’s husband in her original life, had arrived eight days ago. By now, he should already be on the train.

Mother Wen was overjoyed. She wiped her hands on her apron and eagerly accepted the letter from her younger son, even though she couldn’t read. She stared at it intently.

“Oh my, it’s finally here! That’s wonderful! Ningning, start packing immediately. You need to leave with your son-in-law to join the military as soon as possible.”

Wen Peng, the younger twin, raised an eyebrow and sidled up to his older sister, teasingly. “Sis, aren’t you going to pack?”

Wen Ning’s expression darkened slightly. She shot her cheeky younger brother a warning glance. “Don’t push your luck.”

Wen Peng fell silent.

She could never accept a sudden husband, let alone leave with him. “Do you know how to get a divorce?”

Wen Peng frowned. “What’s a divorce?”

Wen Ning sighed inwardly. Realizing she had blurted out a term from the Great Liang Dynasty, she quickly switched. “It’s like… ending a marriage.”

“Oh, right, a divorce…” Wen Peng repeated the unfamiliar word, then suddenly understood.

He stared in shock at his twin sister, who was only a minute older. “Sis, you’re not thinking of divorcing your husband, are you?”

“Yes. Help me figure out how.” Wen Ning could only rely on her family now, and Wen Peng seemed the most willing to help.

“Impossible,” Wen Peng said, convinced his sister’s fever had scrambled her brain. “Military marriages are the hardest to dissolve—it’s a huge hassle, and you need the soldier’s consent. Sis, have you been sick for too long and started daydreaming?”

Can’t divorce? Wen Ning pressed her lips together and stormed back to her room.

This is outrageous! In her own era, a simple divorce decree would have ended things. Living here was truly suffocating!

That day, the Wen family rejoiced over a letter from Wen Ning’s husband, but Wen Ning alone remained gloomy.

……

Her frustration lingered until dinner the next evening. Mother Wen gave her the best cornbread bun—a privilege usually reserved for the grandchildren. The other adults ate coarse sorghum buns, which tasted worlds apart.

Yet even this treat fell far short of the delicacies Wen Ning had once enjoyed. She could only force it down, enduring the scratchy discomfort in her throat.

After dinner, Mother Wen quietly called her daughter to her room.

She retrieved a key from the wardrobe, unlocked the drawer of a chest, and mysteriously presented a soft, fluffy chicken cake. “Eat it quickly, and keep it a secret from your sisters-in-law.”

It was the first time Wen Ning had tasted such a tender food in this era. The fragrant aroma of eggs and the melt-in-your-mouth texture were so delicious she nearly swallowed her tongue.

Mother Wen doted on Wen Ning as if she were her own daughter, which brought the girl considerable comfort.

After taking a bite of the sponge cake, Wen Ning broke off half and offered it to Mother Wen. “Mother, you eat too.”

“What would an old woman like me do with this? It’s a waste. You eat it quickly, and don’t let Tiedan or Tiehua see.”

Having suffered enough from the societal preference for sons herself, Mother Wen wanted her daughter to have a better life, spoiling her even more than her three sons.

In a team where son preference was rampant, Wen Ning was the envy of every girl in the production team.

Seeing how unwell Wen Ning had been lately, Mother Wen’s heart ached even more. She needed to build her strength. “Here are two fruit candies. Take them and eat them slowly. They’ll sweeten your mouth. After taking so much medicine, your mouth must taste bitter.”

The sponge cake and candies had been brought back from the county town through connections. They weren’t cheap, requiring both pastry and sugar ration coupons to purchase. The family couldn’t afford to buy any more.

Wen Ning nodded. She wouldn’t say anything, knowing that even the two young children weren’t as pitiful as she was right now.

……

The Wen family consisted of ten members. Father and Mother Wen had four children.

The eldest son and his wife had been married for six years and had a son and a daughter. The second son and his wife, married for two years, were still childless. The remaining members were the twins, Wen Ning and Wen Peng.

The eldest brother’s two children, Tiedan and Tiehua, were five and three years old respectively. They were both bright and adorable.

Knowing that their grandmother doted on their aunt, they loved to follow Wen Ning around.

The original owner of this body had rarely given her nieces and nephews anything good. She couldn’t stand children, but Wen Ning was different.

She knew how to make things easier for herself.

The fruit candies Mother Wen had given her last night tasted rather rough and poorly made, but they were the best she could offer.

Wen Ning ate one to satisfy her sweet tooth and used the remaining one to bribe her nieces and nephews into helping her gather straw to pad her bed.

The two little ones were always capable and quickly spread the straw, earning themselves a fruit candy. They split it in half with a stone and each sucked on their share.

“Thank you, Auntie!”

“Auntie, you’re so nice!”

After all, for their aunt to give them candy was truly a miracle—like the sun rising in the west.

Wen Ning sat on the bed’s old, stiff cotton mattress. The thick layer of straw beneath it slightly softened the hardness of the wooden planks.

Feeling lazy, she said, “You two have such sweet tongues. Tell me a few more nice things.”

Tiedan was the first to flatter her. “Auntie, you’re the best! Even better than my mom and dad!”

Seeing her brother seize the initiative, Tiehua refused to be outdone. “Aunt, you’re the prettiest in our whole brigade!”

“No, you’re the prettiest in the entire commune!” Tiedan shouted, his voice cracking with enthusiasm.

Wen Ning covered her ears, her eyes crinkling with laughter. “Alright, alright, that’s enough.”

The two children stood by the bed, gazing expectantly at their aunt after their flattery.

But Wen Ning simply patted their fuzzy little heads, one hand on each. “Why are you staring at me? There’s no more candy. Go on, get out of here.”

Tiedan and Tiehua exchanged bewildered glances.

She tricked us with our flattery!

……

Gossip had been swirling through the production team for days, the hottest topic being Jiang Rong, Zhang Haiyan’s daughter, marrying a military officer.

The Zhang family had made several trips to the county town, returning with bolts of cloth and bags of fruit candies, making the villagers’ mouths water. After all, these were rare luxuries that required cloth and sugar ration coupons.

“And that’s not all!” Zhang Haiyan boasted to a group of elderly women, her voice carrying as she glanced toward the Wen family’s house, as if to ensure they heard.

“Our son-in-law is a battalion commander. He saved up his coupons and bought a thermos, enamel basins, enamel cups… Oh my, everything is brand new!” She added with a sneer, “Unlike some other weddings, so shabby. The groom ran off on the very day… I wonder if no one wanted him.”

Amidst the neighbors’ compliments, Zhang Haiyan’s daughter, Jiang Rong, emerged from the house and distributed candies. Though each person received only one, the gesture was deeply appreciated.

“Ningning, come and have a candy!” Jiang Rong called out when she saw Wen Ning leaving the Wen family courtyard. “You’ve been sick lately. I was just about to visit you.”

Wen Ning stared coldly at Jiang Rong. This woman was the female lead of the book, while the original Wen Ning had been foolish enough to let Jiang Rong instigate most of the scandalous incidents that ruined her reputation. Worse, she had always been Jiang Rong’s scapegoat.

The original Wen Ning had treated others poorly, yet considered Jiang Rong her true friend.

“Look who it is, the Wen Family Girl! You and Jiang Rong have always been so close. Now that she’s marrying the Battalion Commander, you’ll have to give her a proper wedding gift,” Aunt Li teased, clutching the fruit candy Jiang Rong had given her.

After all, Wen Ning’s military husband had been absent for a year, while Jiang Rong’s wedding preparations were in full swing. Standing side by side, it was clear who would have the better future.

“Aunt Li, don’t talk nonsense,” Jiang Rong said, glancing at Wen Ning.

Her gaze felt unfamiliar, but Jiang Rong didn’t have time to dwell on it. “I’m just happy Ningning can attend my wedding. It’s a pity her husband can’t be here too. It would make the celebration even more joyful.”

As soon as Jiang Rong finished speaking, she swallowed nervously, looking flustered. “Ningning, don’t misunderstand. I just meant you don’t need to bring anything. You’ve had it tough too.”

Several of the older women nearby praised Jiang Rong for her kind heart.

Jiang Rong knew Wen Ning’s temperament all too well. With her personality, she wouldn’t pick up on the subtle hints in Jiang Rong’s words; she’d likely just end up arguing with the village women.

She’s like a fool’s firecracker—light the fuse and she’ll explode.

Wen Ning listened to Jiang Rong’s veiled words, her ears burning with discomfort.

She slowly walked up to Jiang Rong. “Of course I don’t need to bring anything. How many things have you taken from me over the years? I waited three years to get four feet of Cloth Ration Coupons to make a new dress, but you took them—that red dress you’re wearing now.

When our family finally got some brown sugar, you took that too… Not to mention hair ties and clips. Oh, and that checkered hairpin you’re wearing? I bought that. Everything good I had, you took. So naturally, I don’t have anything decent left to give.”

“I…” Jiang Rong was stunned that Wen Ning would air these grievances in public, catching her completely off guard. “Ningning, what are you saying?”

“What? All those things were gifts from the Wen Family Girl?” The brigade members had come to share in the celebration, but now they were all ears for the gossip, their eyes gleaming.

“No, no,” Jiang Rong stammered.

Wen Ning hummed softly, unhurried. “Isn’t this dress made with my Cloth Ration Coupon?”

“Yes, but…” Jiang Rong didn’t want the brigade members to overhear. She was about to offer an explanation when her husband approached.

Battalion Commander Qin Wu, drawn by the commotion, came over to ask, “Rongrong, what’s going on?”

Wen Ning cut in, “Battalion Commander Qin Wu, right? Your wife, Jiang Rong, borrowed my Cloth Ration Coupon, Sugar Ration Coupon, hair clips, and hair ties to dress up. I was just complimenting her on how lovely she looks.”

Jiang Rong’s face darkened. What was Wen Ning implying? What would Qin Wu think of her now?

Glaring at Wen Ning, Jiang Rong snapped, “I’ll return everything. If you have other business, you should leave.”

“Alright, but don’t delay,” Wen Ning replied sweetly, her smile growing even brighter now that she had recovered her precious ration coupons. She turned to leave, then paused. “The Cloth Ration Coupon makes the softest fabric. Don’t mix it up.”

Her delicate skin couldn’t tolerate rough cloth.

……

Three days later, at the crack of dawn, the air in front of the Zhang family’s house erupted with the crackling of firecrackers.

Jiang Rong was getting married.

Nearly the entire production team turned out to witness the spectacle and bask in the celebratory atmosphere.

When Jiang Rong’s husband, Qin Wu, arrived on his 28-inch bicycle to fetch his bride and gave her a ride around the production team, the villagers’ envy reached its peak.

That was a 28-inch bicycle—one of only two in the entire commune, a prized possession that everyone coveted.

Wen Ning stood at her doorstep, her eyes fixed on the scene.

She wasn’t envious of Jiang Rong; she was simply astonished by the bicycle.

How could those two wheels fly like the wind, moving faster than the horse-drawn carriages of the Great Liang Dynasty?

It seemed that even in this impoverished place, there were wondrous things to be found.

After watching the commotion for a while, only the bicycle continued to fascinate her.

When Jiang Rong returned on the bicycle, basking in the villagers’ praise, Wen Ning grew bored. This wedding paled in comparison to those of her own era, so she turned and went back inside.

Jiang Rong, radiant in her bright red cotton trousers and jacket made from fabric purchased at the County Supply and Marketing Cooperative, smiled like a flower. Catching a glimpse of Wen Ning’s foolish departure from the corner of her eye, she felt a surge of satisfaction.

Wen Ning might have a pretty face, but Jiang Rong, reborn with a cunning edge, knew she surpassed her in every other way.

Turning to another girl her age, she said, “Yan Hong, Ningning must have gone back because she’s feeling down. She’s probably thinking about her husband—he still hasn’t returned. Sigh… Why don’t you go check on her?”

Wen Ning’s current misfortune was starkly contrasted with Jiang Rong’s recent triumph. The crowd praised Jiang Rong’s kindness for remembering her dear friend even on her wedding day.

Jiang Rong modestly replied, “Of course. We’re best friends.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Rong and her husband, Qin Wu, watched proudly as her eldest brother lit the firecrackers, officially marking the start of the wedding banquet.

Amidst the crackling explosions, the roar of an engine cut through the noise.

Everyone turned to see a military jeep slowly approaching on the production team’s narrow path. The villagers, who had never seen a four-wheeled vehicle before, stared in awe.

“What kind of car is that? It’s huge!”

“So cool! Even better than a 28-inch bicycle!”

Jiang Rong’s expression darkened. She couldn’t understand how such a behemoth could appear in this remote village.

The jeep stopped between the Wen and Jiang families. As the door swung open, everyone leaned forward to see a tall man in an olive-green military uniform step out. His posture was ramrod straight, his presence commanding.

Tiedan, the Wen family’s grandson, stared at the tall man for a long moment before suddenly remembering. He darted off to find his family.

“Grandma! Aunt! Uncle-in-law’s back!”