Chapter 2 – The Female Supporting Character in the Confession Book

“Xin Xin, come eat something.” Zhang Xiuying said as she brought over a bowl, interrupting Wen Xin’s memories.

Wen Xin sat up from the bed, and just that brief movement made her break into a sweat. 

When she leaned against the wall, she felt waves of darkness in front of her eyes.

This was Wen Xin’s first time being a person, but she knew it was because she was hungry. 

After all, the body had been lying in bed for three days, and during that time, apart from taking medicine, she had only drunk a few bowls of brown sugar water and at most a few sips of plain rice porridge—nothing else had entered her mouth.

Zhang Xiuying had made a bowl of brown sugar warm spring eggs. The white, tender eggs floated roundly in the red broth, and scattered bits of light yellow ginger were sprinkled on top.

Wen Xin was so hungry that she picked up the bowl and started eating. After finishing the bowl of sugared water with spring eggs, she felt a bit more energy in her body.

Zhang Xiuying had boiled four eggs. When she saw Wen Xin finish them all without leaving any behind, she was very happy, smiling broadly. As long as she could eat, it was good—it meant she was getting better.

Zhang Xiuying put the bowl aside. “You’ve been sick these past few days. Your Big Brother went to the Forestry Station and got you a week’s leave. During this time, I’ll take good care of you.”

Zhang Xiuying’s gaze was incredibly gentle as she looked at Wen Xin. 

Perhaps because she empathized with the original owner, she thought about the ending of the Wen family in the book where Luo Manzhen was the main character—and she felt a bit sad.

In that book, after the original owner fell into the water, she was rescued by Lin Laizi, a well-known bachelor in the village. 

She was still in a high fever and unconscious, lying at home for three days. When her health was just beginning to improve, Lin Laizi came with a matchmaker to propose. 

His words implied that they had already been intimate, and the original owner would not be able to marry anyone else but him.

The Wen family naturally disagreed, but Lin Laizi had expected this. 

He was not discouraged. Later, he spread rumors around the village that he had touched and held the original owner, and he even followed her to work.

Threats and warnings were ineffective. Lin Laizi, after recovering, went back to his old ways. 

The Wen family called the police, but Lin Laizi was only locked up for a few days and came out unchanged. 

The Wen family, feeling helpless, had to give up the job at the Forestry Station in town and stay hidden at home.

But there is no such thing as a thief who can steal for a thousand days, and no such thing as a guard who can defend against a thief for a thousand days. 

In the end, the original owner was still caught by Lin Laizi. 

What was worse was that after that incident, the original owner became pregnant. 

Lin Laizi spread the news everywhere. 

The original owner’s reputation was already poor, and Lin Laizi made the incident public. 

Unable to bear the blow, the original owner jumped into the river and drowned.

The original owner’s death took away Zhang Xiuying’s will to live, causing her to become mentally unstable. 

Wen Yuejun, Big Brother Wen, and Second Brother Wen hated Lin Laizi to the death that Wen Yuejun seized an opportunity and beat Lin Laizi to death.

Luo Manzhen, like a pest, had been quietly observing the Wen family’s every move from behind the scenes. 

After learning of Lin Laizi’s death, she had someone report the incident to the police, and Wen Yuejun was arrested and later sentenced.

Second Sister-in-law Wen, who had not yet had children since marrying into the Wen family, was pressured by her own family to divorce after the incident. 

Big Brother Wen and Second Brother Wen, having been deeply affected, became increasingly decadent and never remarried before they died.

The Wen family was destroyed. Luo Manzhen, having removed the troublesome original Wen Xin, focused on her plans to take over the Lin family with her schemes.

She quickly cut ties with Sun Haowen, found an excuse to send him to prison, and then humbly flattered the Lin family’s parents and younger siblings. 

Grandma Lin, who already liked her, was won over by her sincerity and, under her influence, the Lin family soon accepted her again. 

Lin Jianzhang, who had been harboring resentment toward her, was swayed by the persuasion of his family members over time and reconciled with Luo Manzhen.

After their reconciliation, Luo Manzhen followed Lin Jianzhang to the military, where, using her foresight, she seized business opportunities during the early stages of China’s reform and opening-up. Meanwhile, she didn’t forget her role as a devoted wife and mother. 

Eventually, Lin Jianzhang achieved even greater success than he had in his previous life, and Luo Manzhen became the woman she had always admired before her rebirth—one who was loved and cherished by her husband throughout her life.

It wasn’t wrong for a person to pursue their own happiness, nor was it wrong to correct their mistakes. However, Luo Manzhen should never have laid a hand on an innocent girl.

After the original owner’s death, her resentment was so strong that it awakened Wen Xin, who had been in a deep sleep for three hundred years. 

Wen Xin was a koi fish that had cultivated for over a thousand years, but due to the thinning spiritual energy during the era of decadence, she had never been able to achieve enlightenment. 

Three hundred years ago, Wen Xin was forced into a deep sleep, and before she fell asleep, a voice told her that she could achieve great merit and become enlightened, but the timing was not yet right.

Now awakened, Wen Xin knew that her opportunity had come. 

This time, what she had to do was become the original owner and fulfill her wish. 

And her wish was for her family to live happily and for the wicked to receive their retribution.

This was not difficult.

—-

Zhang Xiuying did not disturb Wen Xin’s rest. 

After talking to her for a while, she went out. The weather had just begun to warm up, and there were many tasks to do in the fields. 

Except for Zhang Xiuying and Wen Xin, the rest of the family had gone to work.

As the end of the workday approached, Zhang Xiuying hurriedly prepared dinner. 

The family had plenty of strong laborers, no elderly parents to support, and no babies to nurse, so the Wen family’s life was quite comfortable.

She added rice to the corn porridge, and the pancakes were made with a mix of sorghum flour and white flour. The pickled vegetables, sliced into strips, were mixed with sesame oil, and she made a big pot of soup with two eggs and the tomato sauce made last autumn.

She also simmered some cabbage with fried pork fat. One by one, the Wen family members returned home. When they saw the food on the table, Second Sister-in-law Wen smiled.

This meal was even better than what they had at her natal family’s house.

Wen Xin had slept for quite a while and came out to eat at dinnertime. 

When she appeared, Wen Yuejun looked at her for a long time without saying anything, but when it was time to eat, he handed her a pancake.

This was the most silent form of fatherly love.

“Wife, tomorrow take some tickets to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy some fruits and snacks, and also get some meat to send to Lin Changzheng’s house. He saved our daughter. We haven’t had a chance to thank him yet since Xin Xin was ill. Now that she’s awake, it wouldn’t be proper to wait any longer.” Wen Yuejun said in a deep voice.

Zhang Xiuying agreed, and Wen Yuejun didn’t say anything else, instead turning to discuss the work in the fields with their two sons.

Second Sister-in-law Wen occasionally chimed in. 

Though they had no children, the whole family still felt lively.

That night was the best night’s sleep the Wen family had had in days.

——

The next day, Zhang Xiuying finished her chores and went to the village’s Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy things. 

She didn’t return home; instead, she went directly to Linjia Village, where Lin Changzheng’s house was located. 

Hongshu Village was upstream of the Chan River, while Linjia Village was downstream. 

The two villages were very close, and if more houses were built in the coming years, the two villages would eventually merge.

When Zhang Xiuying arrived at Lin Changzheng’s house, he happened to be home, along with his parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law. 

When they learned that Zhang Xiuying had come to thank Lin Changzheng, they were momentarily stunned. 

Lin Changzheng had never mentioned saving anyone at home.

But since guests should be treated with respect, and Zhang Xiuying had brought heavy gifts to thank Lin Changzheng for saving their life, the Lin family, who were particularly fond of their youngest son, were overjoyed. 

Even the Lin family’s brothers and sisters-in-law, who had grievances with the younger brother, softened their attitude a bit upon seeing that he finally wasn’t causing trouble.

As for Lin Changzheng, it was the first time anyone had praised him so highly, and his face was already flushed with a deep red. 

He didn’t have any particular feelings toward Wen Xin. That day, when he saw her fall into the water, he had instinctively jumped into the river to save her. 

If he could turn back time, Lin Changzheng might not have dared to save her again.

After thanking the Lin family, Zhang Xiuying went back home. 

The Lin family saw her off, and before she left, the two families decided to treat each other as relatives from now on. 

Lin Changzheng’s mother even arranged for them to become godparents once Wen Xin had fully recovered.

With one matter resolved, Zhang Xiuying felt light and at ease. 

Her face full of joy as she walked home. 

As she was leaving Linjia Village, she passed by Luo Manzhen.

Luo Manzhen was on her way to Linjia Village to win over Lin Jianzhang’s parents. 

Upon seeing Zhang Xiuying’s back, her face was filled with resentment. 

She had been closely monitoring the Wen family and, naturally, had heard the news that Wen Xin had survived. 

She also knew that, contrary to her expectations, Wen Xin hadn’t been saved by Lin Laizi. 

Luo Manzhen clenched her fists tightly. 

Despite the perfect shape of her manicured nails digging into her palms, she felt no pain as the blood began to seep through.

It was just that the luck was on Wen Xin side right now. Luo Manzhen kept telling herself over and over. 

After a long while, when Zhang Xiuying’s figure disappeared from view, Luo Manzhen finally loosened her grip, turned around, and headed toward Lin Jianzhang’s house.

It didn’t matter. 

Even if Wen Xin had survived this time, she wouldn’t escape next time. 

There would be plenty of opportunities to deal with her later. 

What mattered now was to change the Lin family’s attitude toward her. 

Wen Xin was nothing more than the third party who had interfered in her relationship with Lin Jianzhang, and she was destined to be defeated. 

She was nothing to fear.

——-

Wen Xin had spent three days recovering at home, and by Monday, she felt much better. 

She woke up early, had breakfast, and then rode the family’s secondhand bicycle, which had only half its paint left but was still gleaming from a thorough polish, toward the village.

Sanyi Yong Township wasn’t large. There was only one main road, with buildings on either side featuring slogans unique to that era. 

Most of the buildings were low, single-story houses, with the only grayish, low building standing in front of two large pillars. The plaque behind the pillars read “Sanyi Yong Township Supply and Marketing Cooperative.”

Wen Xin passed by the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and headed to the Township Government. The Township Government was small, with only eight rooms in total. 

Two of the rooms were dormitories, while one room served as the cafeteria, another as the reception area, the office was combined with the archives room, and there was also a room for the leadership.

The entire township had only about twenty staff members, including the original owner, spread across different departments. 

The regular employees worked in a large office together, while the leaders had their own separate office.

The original owner worked at the Forestry Station, which had a total of four staff members: the station head, a forest guard, a fire prevention officer, and the original owner, who was responsible for supervising the archives. 

Winter had just passed, so there wasn’t much work needed to update the files. People in the office spent their time sipping tea, reading the newspaper, chatting, and the women often brought yarn to knit sweaters and gossip. The day passed just like that.

In the afternoon, after work, Wen Xin grabbed some food from the cafeteria and took it home. The food at the Township Government wasn’t bad. Even if the dishes were just cabbage and radishes, there were still a few pieces of meat in it. 

For rural people, this was considered a good meal. The original owner had always brought this dinner back home to share with the family, and Wen Xin naturally followed the same routine.

As Wen Xin passed by the Post Office, Xiao Zheng, who worked there, happened to come out. Upon seeing Wen Xin, she immediately called out to her: “Comrade Wen, you have a letter. It’s from the Provincial Capital Military Unit.”

Xiao Zheng, whose full name was Zheng Qingqing, had joined the workforce in the same year as the original owner. They both worked within the system, and since the postal service was required to attend the weekly township meetings, they became familiar with each other over time.

Wen Xin stopped her bicycle, thanked Xiao Zheng, and entered the Post Office to collect the letter. Without even looking at it, she stuffed it into her bag.

As for Lin Jianzhang, Wen Xin truly had no fondness for him. Even if he hadn’t interfered with the original owner’s life trajectory, there was an old Chinese saying that seemed to fit in this case:

“I did not kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren died because of me.”

This saying could also apply to Lin Jianzhang.

If it hadn’t been for Lin Jianzhang, the original owner wouldn’t have been so relentlessly targeted by Luo Manzhen, and their family wouldn’t have been destroyed.

In the previous life, before Luo Manzhen had her rebirth, the original owner only got together with Lin Jianzhang after he divorced Luo Manzhen. 

Before that, they were strangers. 

In this life, they were set up on a blind date, and from both a social and moral perspective, there was nothing wrong with their relationship.

So, how innocent the original owner was!