“In fact, she hadn’t even considered helping Lin Jing borrow clothes, because her ultimate goal was to make Lin Jing miss the party. Fang Yalan had planned it all along: first, she would splash water on Lin Jing’s clothes and trick her into going outside, then use the excuse of borrowing a coat to stall Lin Jing, making her wait outside until the party was halfway over. Then, she would go find her and persuade her to go back home, claiming she couldn’t borrow a coat. 

The plan went smoothly. Although Lin Jing had already left when Fang Yalan went out to find her, the result was the same. Plus, she had successfully set up a date with Zhao Hongyi. Fang Yalan was in a great mood last night, dreaming of becoming a general’s wife, so she was cheerful all morning until she saw Lin Jing at work. 

To be honest, Fang Yalan felt a little guilty when she saw Lin Jing again, because whether it was in her past life or in the novel she read after her rebirth, it was Lin Jing who married Zhao Hongyi and became the general’s wife. 

That’s right, Fang Yalan was reborn, and after her rebirth, she had a glimpse of the future, knowing that this world was actually a book, but she wasn’t the main character. The female lead was Lin Jing, who married a divorced military man. As for her, she was just a female cannon fodder used to be slapped in the face! 

Fang Yalan had been the most outstanding girl in the compound since she was a child. Although she didn’t continue her education after graduating from junior high school, she still managed to get into the garment factory through her own efforts, unlike Lin Jing, who got in through a loophole by taking over her parents’ job. Moreover, she had married well at that time.

Her husband was a technical secondary school graduate who was assigned to the Revolutionary Committee after graduation. Most importantly, he was not sent down after the start of the Great Movement and was promoted step by step. 

Therefore, Fang Yalan moved into the small white building where only the leaders of the Revolutionary Committee could live shortly after her marriage in her previous life. And more importantly, although her husband was a bit older, he was still a first-time groom when they got married. 

So, in her previous life, when Fang Yalan heard that Lin Jing was marrying a divorced man at a young age, she was very disdainful, thinking she was crazy to climb the social ladder. At that time, Fang Yalan felt that she would never be like Lin Jing, becoming a stepmother to three children for money! 

But Fang Yalan’s life in her previous life did not go smoothly. After the end of the Great Movement, her husband was reported. Although he didn’t go to jail, his job was completely stripped away, and he became depressed. 

Her husband didn’t stay depressed forever. After the reform and opening up, nouveau riches sprung up like mushrooms, inspiring her husband to borrow money and make a big splash. However, after being a cadre for so many years, her husband had become arrogant and incompetent. He couldn’t see small money, and he didn’t have the ability to make big money. He lost money every year he started a business. In the end, she couldn’t stand it anymore and divorced him. 

However, Fang Yalan still didn’t live well after the divorce, because she had quit her job at the garment factory when her husband was being promoted. Now that she was middle-aged, she could only make a living by doing odd jobs. 

Later, Fang Yalan remarried twice, but half-way couples never confided in each other, and they each had their own children. They calculated against each other in their interactions, and eventually broke up after arguing. Moreover, her children were not successful. Her daughter was timid and didn’t dare to help her mother after marriage, and her son was addicted to eating, drinking, gambling, and prostitution. Even in his thirties or forties, he only knew how to ask her for money, so she had to work odd jobs in a hotel even when she was old. 

Lin Jing’s life, however, was the complete opposite of Fang Yalan’s. 

Although Zhao Hongyi was only a battalion commander when he married Lin Jing, he would have a golden finger after marriage, rising to deputy regiment commander before the age of thirty, and then steadily rising to become a major general. 

Moreover, Zhao Hongyi’s three children were all very successful. The eldest chose to go into business in the 1990s after graduating from university, accumulating a large amount of wealth during the golden age of real estate and becoming the richest man in the country; the second followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the army, later becoming China’s first female astronaut; and the youngest entered the entertainment industry after growing up.

He was a natural actor, quickly becoming popular after entering the industry, winning awards until his hands were soft, and finally becoming a world-renowned movie star. 

As for Lin Jing, although she herself didn’t have much ability, she became an enviable winner in life because of her husband and stepchildren’s success. 

Thinking of how she died alone and sick in a nursing home in her previous life, while Lin Jing was pampered by Zhao Hongyi for a lifetime and became the most important person in the mouths of the three Zhao siblings, Fang Yalan couldn’t help but feel unwilling after being reborn and knowing the plot! 

Why? 

Lin Jing was inferior to her in every way, so why could she live better and better, while she lived worse and worse? Why was she the female lead, while she could only be the female cannon fodder who was slapped in the face? 

She refused to accept it! 

Because of the unwillingness in her heart, Fang Yalan, who found herself reborn before the start of the party, decisively made up her mind – 

In this life, she would change her way of living, replace Lin Jing and marry Zhao Hongyi, to become the wife of a major general, the most important person in the lives of the richest man, astronaut, and movie star! 

Thinking of this, Fang Yalan nodded confidently: “I borrowed it. I was going to ask you, why did you leave by yourself last night? I had to go out and look for you for a long time after I borrowed the coat.” 

“You went out to look for me? When?” 

Fang Yalan said vaguely: “Around eight o’clock, I went to find you as soon as I borrowed the clothes.” In fact, it was after 8:30 when she went out to find Lin Jing last night, but she thought Lin Jing might have left long ago, so she moved the time forward by half an hour. 

Lin Jing continued to ask: “You were looking for someone to borrow clothes before you went out to find me last night?” 

“Why are you asking this?” Fang Yalan became impatient, “It was my fault for making you wait so long last night, but it’s not my fault. You know it’s summer now, and everyone wears less. It’s good enough that I could borrow clothes for you.” Speaking of this, Fang Yalan changed the subject, “I haven’t even said anything about you. You left without telling me, so I finally borrowed clothes but couldn’t find you, so I had to return them.” 

If Lin Jing had thought she was overthinking before, after hearing Fang Yalan’s complaint of blaming the victim, she could be sure that last night’s incident was not accidental, but Fang Yalan’s intention! 

Recognizing this, Lin Jing pursed her lips tightly. 

Although her relationship with Fang Yalan had been normal in the past year, Fang Yalan had suddenly become enthusiastic starting half a month ago, not only walking with her to and from work, but even asking her to go to the bathroom with her. Although her personality wasn’t outgoing, she was willing to reciprocate when others showed her kindness. Over this period of time, she thought that even if they weren’t close friends, they were at least friends. 

But Fang Yalan’s actions gave her a slap in the face. She even wondered if Fang Yalan had ever treated her as a friend! 

If she did, why could she chat happily with others knowing that she was waiting outside? And why did she lie to her when she asked, without telling a single truth? 

The more Lin Jing thought about it, the colder she felt, and the more she couldn’t control the disappointment in her heart. 

Although Fang Yalan didn’t know what Lin Jing was thinking, she felt guilty again being stared at by her: “W-what are you staring at me for? Do you think I’m lying to you?” 

“Aren’t you lying to me?” Lin Jing asked. 

“Of course not, why would I lie to you?” Fang Yalan asked guiltily, “Besides, what do you have that’s worth lying about?” 

Lin Jing echoed in a low voice: “Yeah, what do I have that’s worth lying about?” 

Hearing Lin Jing say this, Fang Yalan thought she had finally fooled her and breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to comfort Lin Jing, but before she could say anything, she heard Lin Jing say: “You just wanted to stop me from attending the party.” 

Hearing this, Fang Yalan’s heart jumped, and her first reaction was that Lin Jing already knew. But the words came to her lips, and she thought again that unless Lin Jing had the same adventure as her, how could she know that this world was actually a book, and how would she know her plan? 

And Fang Yalan looked at Lin Jing and didn’t think she was reborn either, so she relaxed and said: “What does your attending the party have to do with me? Why would I want to stop you?” After denying it, she looked Lin Jing up and down, as if thinking of something funny, and covered her mouth and asked, “Or are you so confident in yourself that you think if you attend the party, no one else will find a partner?” 

Although Fang Yalan was smiling when she said this, Lin Jing wasn’t slow and could naturally see the malice towards her wrapped in Fang Yalan’s smile. 

Fang Yalan hated her. 

Lin Jing clearly recognized this, and for a moment, she didn’t know whether it was more ridiculous to be treated like a fool or to have to endure Fang Yalan’s show of affection because of such an absurd reason. 

Lin Jing really laughed and said: “So in your heart, I’m so popular? So much so that you hate me so much, but because you’re afraid that my appearance at the party will affect your finding a partner, you have to lick your face and try to get close to me.” Saying this, Lin Jing glanced at Fang Yalan, “You must have been wronged these past two weeks!” 

Lin Jing’s words were like knives, hitting Fang Yalan’s heart, making her want to curse back at her at the time. But the words stopped at her lips again. Before things were settled with Zhao Hongyi, she didn’t want to cause trouble and break up with Lin Jing. 

Thinking of this, Fang Yalan clenched her fists, enduring her anger and said: “Jingjing, you may have some misunderstanding about me, last night…” 

After realizing that Fang Yalan had been lying to her, Lin Jing didn’t want to listen to her sophistry anymore and interrupted her unceremoniously, “You said something wrong just now. Before leaving last night, I went into the auditorium to look for you, but you were chatting happily with others at the time and didn’t notice me.” 

As soon as Fang Yalan heard her say this, she thought of Zhao Hongyi and blurted out: “Don’t get any ideas about him!” 

As soon as the words came out, Fang Yalan knew it was bad, but she was really worried in her heart, because Zhao Hongyi fell in love with Lin Jing at first sight in the original book. If it weren’t for this, she wouldn’t have tried so hard to make Lin Jing miss the party after being reborn.

Although it seemed that the original plot couldn’t be changed, Zhao Hongyi had a good impression of her, but what if Lin Jing had some kind of halo of the female lead? If she stood in front of the male lead, the male lead would fall in love with her, and wouldn’t all her previous efforts be in vain! 

Thinking of this, Fang Yalan squeezed out a stiff smile and said: “I mean, I’m already dating him, you better not have any ideas about him, this is a very serious issue of lifestyle, you have to pay attention!” 

Hearing the threat in Fang Yalan’s tone, Lin Jing felt even more ridiculous. She had treated Fang Yalan as a friend, but in her heart, she was just someone who would dig up other people’s walls! 

“I’m not as base as you think, and I won’t have any ideas about your partner. Please don’t approach me again for such ridiculous reasons in the future!” Lin Jing said mercilessly, “Also, please call me Comrade Lin from now on, we’re not close!” 

After speaking, Lin Jing turned and left without looking at Fang Yalan again. 

Fang Yalan, who was left in place, looked at Lin Jing’s back with gloomy eyes, her face turning green and white. But then she thought that Lin Jing could say these words now because she didn’t know what she would miss. When she was poor and destitute in the future but learned that she had become the wife of a general, she would definitely regret today’s events. 

Fang Yalan slightly curled up the corners of her lips, thinking, I really hope that day comes soon!”