Chapter 2: Preparations Before Going to the Countryside

Over the past week, aside from waiting for deliveries, Nan Qiao had also collected a variety of local delicacies from Shanghai.

Every day, group meals were delivered to the warehouse. By the end of the week, she had stocked hundreds of pre-cooked dishes, and even over a thousand buns of various flavors.

She had absolutely no worries about going hungry.

Each item was neatly packed into takeout boxes and stacked on shelves.

After leaving the warehouse, Nan Qiao lay on her bed at home, thinking about what else she needed to buy. Even after all this shopping, she still had 200 million yuan left in her bank account.

She recalled that in the 1970s, wristwatches, radios, and bicycles were considered extremely valuable.

So she ordered 1,000 of each online and even bought a bunch of vintage tickets from that era.

Why so many?
Because she was worried about having no money once she got there.
These items would fetch a good price on the black market—even though that era was harsh on “profiteers” and black market trading was dangerous.

By the time the Phoenix-brand bicycles arrived, it had been more than half a month since Nan Qiao started her buying spree.

During this time, aside from waiting for deliveries, she had gone to shopping malls and stocked up on baby supplies, infant formula, makeup, skincare products, all kinds of medicine, and even school textbooks from previous years…

In short, she bought everything she laid eyes on.

She even took a trip abroad and brought back a bunch of hot and cold weapons.

It wasn’t until August 23rd that Nan Qiao finally stopped shopping.

On this day, she left a letter to her aunt on the desk, then took a shower early and climbed into bed, waiting for the arrival of August 24th.

In the letter, Nan Qiao explained everything that had happened recently—including the strange dream—and left all her unspent savings, property, stocks, and funds to her aunt.

She wasn’t too worried about what the police would think if they saw it.
After all, such bizarre nonsense would probably just make them think she had gone a little mad.

As for her aunt, she could only hope she would believe her.
There was no way for her to prove any of it…

---

“Hmph, so what if she’s from a good family? She still has to go to the countryside as a sent-down youth just like us!”

“Exactly. Living so extravagantly—she’s not afraid of being dragged out and criticized?”

“But she really does have money. Who knows? We might have to rely on her when we get there.”
A sharp-featured girl with twin braids sneered.

“It’s fine. She’s easy to manipulate. So what if she’s arrogant and nasty? She should be grateful to have us as friends. What’s wrong with her giving us some money?”

“Fangfang, Yuman, don’t say that. Nan Qiao may be a bit spoiled, but she’s not a bad person—just coddled by her family,” another girl gently protested.

“Yanyan, you’re way too softhearted! She even tried to steal Su Mu from you, and you’re still defending her!”

“M-Maybe she didn’t know that Su Mu is about to be engaged to my family…”
the girl replied in a tearful voice, clearly heartbroken.

---

That was the conversation Nan Qiao overheard as she awoke from her dream.

And from what she could tell, the “bad woman” they were referring to… was probably her.

The other three were characters from that nameless novel—the female lead Dong Jiayan, and her two little followers, Qin Fang and Wang Yuman.

Nan Qiao kept her eyes shut, carefully absorbing the memories that were flooding her mind.

She figured she must’ve ended up here after the original owner tried to confront Dong Jiayan and got hit by a bicycle, ending up unconscious and sent to the hospital.

These girls were all her former high school classmates—ordinary families, yet they had latched onto Nan Qiao for years like vampires, leeching off her generosity while badmouthing her behind her back.

Just like now, thinking she wouldn’t wake up, they talked about her without any restraint.

Honestly, it was partly the original host’s fault for being so naive—getting flattered a little and losing all sense of judgment. Add in the generous pocket money from home, and it was no wonder she was always handing things out.

In short, the original Nan Qiao was beautiful, well-built, academically excellent, and came from a wealthy family—but she lacked emotional intelligence. Not evil, just arrogant and entitled, always needing to get her way.

Take Su Mu for example—he wasn’t even engaged to Dong Jiayan.
They just grew up together, so the neighbors started gossiping about the two being a match.

Su Mu attended a different high school, so he and Nan Qiao had never met.
They only encountered each other once after graduation, and since then, Nan Qiao had fallen for him.

Su Mu and Dong Jiayan both came from average families and weren’t only children, so they were also on the list of youths being sent to the countryside.

That was why Nan Qiao decided to sign up too.

Thinking about it now, Nan Qiao couldn’t help but curse the original owner’s foolishness.

Weren’t the luxuries of life in Shanghai good enough?? Why insist on going to the countryside and farming? She didn’t have the kind of revolutionary zeal most “educated youth” had back then.

The complaints continued around her. Since she now inhabited this body, letting them insult her was simply not acceptable.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the three girls.

“So this is how you really feel about me.”

She didn’t even bother watching their startled, flustered reactions. She got up and prepared to leave.

Lying in the hospital bed just now, she had taken the time to feel out her body—there didn’t seem to be any major injuries. This fainting spell was likely just the trigger for the transmigration.

“Qiao Qiao, don’t misunderstand. They were just worried about me, so their words came out a bit harsh,” Dong Jiayan explained.

“Y-Yeah…”
another girl mumbled timidly—her sharp attitude from earlier completely gone.
Her family didn’t have much money—just a regular steel factory worker’s household.
She couldn’t afford to offend someone like Nan Qiao, not with her family’s future and her own prospects at stake.

Nan Qiao ignored their feeble attempts at explanation and walked out of the hospital by herself, heading home along the path from her memories.

As she walked, she took in the sights of the era and its people.

Maybe it was because she was in Shanghai—people here dressed relatively neatly, though mostly in dark-colored clothing.

Compared to people from the 21st century, most folks here looked a little sallow and thin.

The buildings were mostly single-story houses, with the occasional state-owned restaurant, shopping mall, or government office stretching up to four or five floors.

As she wandered the streets, she finally reached her neighborhood.

Her home was in a Western-style house in Shanghai.
Back during the revolution, the original owner of the house had fled overseas, and the property was nationalized. After her father became a factory director, it was allocated to their family.

Nan Qiao pulled the key from her pocket and opened the courtyard gate.

Two magnolia trees stood in the yard, and there were also two Phoenix-brand bicycles parked inside.

A clear sign of the family’s wealth.

Nan Qiao pushed open the door and called out,

“Mom, I’m home!”

“Oh, Qiao Qiao darling! Play for a bit by yourself, sweetie. Mom and Dad are just finishing up lunch!”

Tomorrow was the day Nan Qiao would depart for the countryside, so both her parents had taken the day off. They had gone out early in the morning to buy all of Nan Qiao’s favorite dishes and were preparing to make her a special lunch.

Nan Qiao walked into the kitchen and saw her parents busy at work.
She smiled and hugged them from behind.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you two cook together.”

There was one thing Nan Qiao hadn’t said:
Her parents in this era looked exactly the same as her parents who had passed away in the 21st century.
It felt as though this transmigration had been arranged by fate itself.

“Go back to your room! There’s so much oil and smoke in here—your new clothes will get dirty. Your brother will be back soon too,”
her father said in his traditional, reserved manner.
He felt a little awkward having his pampered, soft daughter hug him, so he gently shooed her away.

But the upward curve of his lips betrayed just how delighted he was.

“Yes, yes! Go back and check if you like the cotton-padded clothes Mom picked out for you,”
her mother added.
But as she spoke, the joy of seeing her daughter act playfully turned into a bit of sadness.

Seeing her mother’s obvious melancholy, Nan Qiao reassured her with a smile:

“Don’t worry, Mom. Qiao Qiao will take good care of herself. And I won’t give up on my studies! Who knows—maybe the college entrance exams will resume soon!”

“Silly girl, don’t say such nonsense,”
her father quickly scolded.
There were many things one couldn’t say or do in this era.

“I don’t ask for much, just that you take good care of yourself. If you’re short on money or supplies, write or call home. We’ll send you whatever you need right away. Just promise me one thing:
Don’t marry someone hastily just because life is hard out there. Promise your mom, okay?”

“Yes! Absolutely! You have to listen to your mom on this!”
her father echoed.
“Even if… even if you meet someone you like, you must bring him home first so we can take a look. Don’t cross any lines before marriage!”

He said this with some sternness, worried and protective.
His daughter was only 19, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her being “taken” so soon.

“Dad, Mom, I promise! I won’t settle down on my own. Even if I like someone, I’ll bring him home for your approval first.”
Nan Qiao held up three fingers next to her head, swearing solemnly.

“Good, good, go back to your room. See if the new clothes fit and if there’s anything else missing. We can still go shopping this afternoon.”

“Alright! Dad, Mom, I’m going back now~”

“Go on.”

Once they saw Nan Qiao return to her room, her parents continued their cooking.

Back in her room, Nan Qiao stared at the large bundles piled up on her bed, her expression dark.

“With this tiny body of mine… am I really supposed to carry all that?”

She opened one of the smaller bundles—clothes of all kinds:
Long-sleeved shirts, short-sleeved shirts, cashmere sweaters, wool coats, Dacron jackets, cotton dresses, and even a women’s military uniform sent by her eldest brother.

Every item had been carefully prepared by her mother, filled with deep parental love.

As she was about to repack the items, there was a knock at the door.

She opened it to find her older brother, who entered and shut the door behind him.
He fished around in his pocket for a while and then handed her a stack of money and ration coupons.

“These are the savings I’ve built up over the past few years. I was planning to give them to you as part of your dowry when you get married.
But since you’re leaving now and may need money, take them first.
I’ll save up for your dowry again later.”

“Brother, I don’t need them. I have my allowance, and Mom and Dad already gave me some. You keep it,”
Nan Qiao said, trying to hand it back.

“Take it. Be good,”
he replied firmly.
His tone was resolute, but his eyes were full of concern and affection.

“Qiao Qiao, if anything happens over there, make sure to tell me.
You know my office phone number.
If you can’t tell Mom and Dad, tell me—I’ll back you up.”

“Don’t worry, Bro! I’m tough, you know. You and Big Bro taught me martial arts since I was little—I can fight!”
Nan Qiao grinned and flexed her little arm proudly.

Looking at his little sister acting so brave, Nan Bo’s heart ached.
When he first found out she signed up to go to the countryside because of a man, he’d nearly stormed off to beat the guy up.
It was only after much pleading and tugging from Nan Qiao that he didn’t go.

Thinking of this, Nan Bo hesitated before asking:

“Qiao… about that Su Mu…”

“Don’t worry, Brother. I don’t like him anymore,”
Nan Qiao said, cutting him off gently, like making a promise.

“Then why are you still going to the countryside?”

“Oh, Brother, I was just being stupid. It’s already a done deal. There’s no going back.”

“Sigh…”
Nan Bo let out a long sigh.

“Sweetheart, time to eat!”
Nan Qiao’s mother called from downstairs.

“Coming, Mom!”

“Let’s go, Brother! Don’t bring up this stuff again—it’s dinnertime!”

“Alright, alright, let’s go.”

---

During the meal, no one brought up Nan Qiao’s trip to the countryside.
Everyone seemed to silently agree to keep the mood warm.

After lunch, her mother came to her room to help organize her belongings.

“Qiao Qiao, is there anything you’re still missing?”

“Nope. You’ve already prepared everything perfectly, Mom!”

“Good. If you ever need anything else, just call me and I’ll send it right away.”

Nan Qiao nodded obediently.

“Also, take a few of these clothes with you, along with some snacks, dry rations, and snow cream.
It’s cold over there—use the cream often so your skin doesn’t get hurt.
As for the bedding, I’ll mail it to you.
By the time you arrive, your luggage should be there too. That way, you don’t have to carry too much.”

“And money—don’t carry too much. It could be dangerous.
Here’s 100 yuan in mixed bills.
Keep it separated in different places so you’ll still have some if you get pickpocketed.
I’ll send the rest by mail. Don’t forget to pick it up at the post office.”

“I’ve also prepared nationwide-use ration coupons for cloth, cotton, food, meat, coal, and even bicycle coupons.
Buy whatever you need over there. Don’t try to save money where you shouldn’t.”

“Okay, Mom. Don’t worry,”
Nan Qiao replied warmly, hugging her mother tightly and snuggling into her arms.

Her mother looked at the daughter in her arms, eyes full of tenderness.

She knew she had spoiled this girl a bit too much over the years, but no matter how unruly or willful she became, she was still their precious, soft baby.

She was like a piece of her own flesh.

No matter how arrogant she was in front of others, in front of her parents, she was always that obedient little girl.

---

That night before Nan Qiao was to leave for the countryside, no one in the Nan family—except for her—slept well.

The next morning, her mother got up early to boil eggs, steam buns and mantou, and cook a large portion of red-braised pork.

She packed the eggs and buns into an aluminum lunch box.

She placed the pork in another aluminum box, with half the box full of meat and the other half filled with white rice—a real luxury meal for that era.

As she finished packing the food, her mother said:

“Qiao Qiao, it’s hot today, so I’m afraid the food won’t keep well.
If you get hungry, eat the braised pork first, then the buns and eggs.”

“Got it, Mom!”

Beep beep—
A car honked outside.

To send Nan Qiao off, her father had borrowed a reception car from his factory.

The car parked outside their house, drawing lots of curious glances from the neighbors.

“Old Nan, sending your daughter off?”

“Yeah. She’s got too much stuff—we can’t carry it all.”

“It’s good to be prepared. It’s freezing out there.
Girls from our side of the country aren’t used to that kind of cold—it’s going to be tough on her!”