Chapter 1

“Woo… Woo…”

The train whistle blew as steam swirled in the air.

After three days of travel, the steam train finally arrived at Shanghai Railway Station in the evening, just as the sun was setting.

As soon as it stopped, the carriage doors swung open, and passengers surged out in a chaotic rush.

Lin Ting, her long braids disheveled, gritted her teeth, grabbed her bag, and squeezed through the crowd.

The platform was just as packed as the train, leaving her no room to linger. She pushed her way forward, barely making it out of the crowd before setting her bag down. Following the example of others, she tucked her hands into her sleeves, sat on her bag, and watched passengers clamber onto the train through the windows. Her thoughts drifted.

She couldn’t make sense of it.

A full day had passed, yet Lin Ting was still struggling to understand.

Why had everything changed overnight?

She was no longer Lin Ting, a high school English teacher in 2023. Instead, she had become Lin Ting, a newlywed runaway wife in 1967.

More precisely, she was a runaway wife who had fled with money.

The thought gave her a headache. She sighed.

“Comrade? Comrade, are you alright? Do you need hot water?”

A clear, pleasant voice broke through the surrounding noise. Lin Ting snapped back to reality, looking up into a warm, smiling face.

When she noticed the large kettle in the woman’s hands, she pushed aside her confusion and quickly responded, “Yes, yes.”

She pulled a teacup from her bag, stood up, and filled it. Holding the cup with both hands, she thanked the woman earnestly.

It was only through personal experience that Lin Ting realized how scarce water was on these old trains. At every stop, station workers carried kettles to distribute boiling water.

Seeing Lin Ting regain her composure, the worker moved on after saying, “Serve the people.”. She poured water for the next passenger, who had already extended a teacup.

Lin Ting sat back down on her bag, sipping the warm water.

She hated the cold. The moment the heat traveled down her throat, she shut her eyes in comfort, the exhaustion in her body easing slightly.

She would have liked to rest, but she knew it was getting dark, and she hadn’t found a place to stay yet.

After finishing her drink, she picked up her bag and left the station.

It was the late 1960s.

Shanghai already had “turtle taxis” ^[1]also known as three-wheeled electric taxis., which were slow but still better than walking.

The starting fare was 20 cents, and Lin Ting paid 70 cents to reach the nearest guesthouse.

In these tough times, when every penny counted, most people preferred to walk rather than take a taxi.

But Lin Ting was so exhausted she could barely stand, let alone walk.

She cared less about the money than about her own well-being.

That confidence lasted only a moment.

At the front desk, the registrar told her there were single, double, and quadruple rooms. Double rooms were for female comrades only, and they were half the price of a single.

Without hesitation, Lin Ting chose a double room.

The receptionist’s attitude was indifferent, but the waitress, Ms. Liu, who led Lin Ting to her room, was warm and welcoming.

Upon entering the room, Sister Liu, with her round and friendly smile, spoke Mandarin with a Shanghai accent. She briefly introduced the room’s layout and the location of the water room. Then, with a grin, she said, “If no other female comrades arrive tonight, you can have the room to yourself.”

Lin Ting smiled and replied, “Thank you, Sister Liu.”

“No need to be so polite! It’s not easy for a female comrade to travel. I saw your letter of introduction—it says you’re visiting relatives in the army. Seeing your boyfriend?”

Not used to such enthusiasm, Lin Ting still smiled and replied, “Yes, my husband is a soldier.”

“That’s wonderful! Soldiers are heroes… By the way, if you need a shower, there’s a bathhouse next door. It costs 10 cents with a ticket, 20 cents without one.” Citizens held deep respect for soldiers, and Sister Liu became even more eager to help.

Lin Ting thanked her again before asking, “Is there a place to make a phone call nearby?”

“Yes, turn right after exiting the gate and walk about 100 meters. There’s a public telephone booth. A few years ago, you had to go to the post office, but thanks to government policies, there are now over 3,000 booths in the city.” She checked her watch. “It’s too late today; the operator has gone home. Go tomorrow morning. They start at 7 a.m.”

Relieved, Lin Ting had expected to send a telegram at the post office, but now she had an easier option.

That night, she decided against going to the bathhouse—not because of the cost but due to the inconvenience of carrying nearly a thousand yuan. For dinner, she went to a nearby state-owned restaurant, bought steamed buns, and ate them with water.

Afterward, she endured the cold, wiped herself down with a towel, and got into bed. Despite her worries, exhaustion took over.

When she woke up, it was already 9 a.m. The ten-hour sleep had erased her fatigue but left her starving. Still, preoccupied with her thoughts, she skipped breakfast.

After washing up, she ate a few biscuits, packed her documents and money, and went out.

Sister Liu was right—there was a public telephone booth nearby. The line wasn’t long, and in less than five minutes, it was her turn.

She picked up the receiver, waiting for the call to connect. Though usually composed, she couldn’t help but feel nervous.

After all, it was Lin Ting who now occupied this body.

She had to bear the consequences of the original body’s actions.

But where had the original person gone? Had they switched bodies?

She shifted impatiently, looking at the old-fashioned street.

To be honest, the original body shared some similarities with her.

Both were born in the countryside, cherished by their families, and excelled in school.

Though not wealthy, life had been smooth.

However, Lin Ting had later pursued a master’s degree and worked as a high school English teacher.

The original Lin Ting, with outstanding grades, was admitted to Provincial Normal University^[2]refers to a university specializing in teacher education. at 18 in 1964. 

At that time, college students were highly valued due to material scarcity.

She was seen as the golden phoenix who flew out of the village.

Everyone believed she had a bright future.

But in June 1966, her smooth life took a turn.

The revolution not only halted university classes but also affected students and professors.

Because of her rural background, she was not targeted.

Still, for someone once full of pride, escaping trouble wasn’t enough to bring happiness.

Without a diploma, returning home made her no different from a high school graduate in the job market.

Even in county towns, connections mattered more than ability in securing jobs.

She had studied for over ten years, becoming her family’s pride, only to return to farm work.

To make matters worse, her college boyfriend married the daughter of a Revolutionary Committee director and left for Tibet. 

These repeated blows crushed her spirit.

After months of farm labor, she started believing what village aunties often said—that no matter how capable a woman was, marriage determined her future.

But finding a good husband wasn’t easy, especially with her ex-boyfriend as a comparison.

After months of searching, she chose Huo Xiao, a military officer from the neighboring village—a widower with two children.

Huo Xiao was handsome. Though on his second marriage, he was already a deputy regiment commander^[3]is a mid-ranking officer in the military.. 

An educated girl knew what that meant.

So even when Huo Xiao had to return to the army on their wedding day, missing the banquet, she only threw a brief tantrum before settling into married life.

But fate had other plans.

Just a month later, news arrived—Huo Xiao had died in action.

She barely had time to grieve before receiving a letter from her ex-boyfriend, speaking about revolution and life.

His words reignited her feelings.

Within just a few letters, her broken life turned into an obsession.

She had to go to Tibet.

She convinced herself that once she saw her ex, everything would return to how it was.

And once an obsession takes root, it’s like a thorn in the heart.

After struggling for half a month, the original owner stole a few blank introduction letters with official stamps, took money from home, packed some clothes, and ran away at night.

Not a single note was left behind.

By the time the entire village was searching for her, she had already boarded a train from Shanghai to Tibet.

But after a nap, something changed—Lin Ting from the 21st century woke up inside this body.

Frankly, Lin Ting could understand if the original owner had simply filed for divorce. But running away with money? That was excessive.

And seeking out her ex-husband? That was just foolish.

Although it felt a bit heartless to judge while occupying someone else’s body, Lin Ting couldn’t help but think this way.

Besides, in the 1960s and 1970s, a young single woman traveling alone to Tibet was unthinkable.

Forget the extreme altitude sickness ^[4]which is a condition caused by low oxygen at high elevations., the vast yellow grasslands and snow-covered mountains in deep winter were deadly.

There were no oxygen tanks, no direct trains. If she failed to find transportation, she could be walking for a month.

How would she eat, drink, or find shelter along the way?

Just the thought of it was suffocating.

Since Lin Ting had no intention of dying, Tibet was out of the question. Searching for a married man with bad intentions was even less appealing.

But… she couldn’t return to the village yet.

If she truly couldn’t return to her original time, she refused to live with disgrace.

After some thought, Lin Ting crafted a more reasonable excuse for the original owner’s escape.

She used one of the stolen introduction letters and wrote that she was heading to Huo Xiao’s military unit.

Her reason? She didn’t believe he was truly dead and wanted to confirm it. If the reports were true, she would collect his belongings.

It was a weak excuse, but the best she could come up with.

Fortunately, Huo Xiao’s unit was in Chengdu, making her journey from Shanghai somewhat logical.

Despite telling herself to make the best of her situation, Lin Ting still felt bitter about never seeing her parents again.

Just as she shuffled her feet in frustration, the third phone call she made to the Huojiazhuang Commune was finally answered.

Lin Ting’s heart tightened. She pursed her lips, exhaled quietly, and spoke in a low voice:

“Hello, comrade, I am…”