Chapter 1: Traveling through the 1970s, scumbags, don’t run away

“Ah!” A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the amusement park. Yang Muyu had launched herself from the swing ride, experiencing a moment of free flight before gravity pulled her down with a “thud” into the nearby river, sending up a huge splash.

The pain in her lungs and heart was suffocating. As she struggled helplessly in the water, the river completely submerged her. Her mind raced through the “long” minute she’d just endured, filled with rage. 

This damned company was ruthless! A weekend team-building event, forcing her to ride a terrifying swing with demanding clients, and now this—the swing malfunctioned, nearly costing her life! Her hard-earned 400,000 yuan! Wasted! Oh, God, she’d give anything for her life, even her boss’s assets! If she survived, she’d make her boss pay! She had to go crazy! As this thought crossed her mind, Yang Muyu landed on the riverbed, her hand scraping against something sharp.

The scrape was her last breath; she released a large bubble and died.

 A faint, dark light flickered across the riverbed. The end.

***

May 1974, City C, Sichuan Province. In a small courtyard near a machinery factory, a person lying on a bed stirred. A moment later, their eyes snapped open, and they leaned over the bed, pulling out a chamber pot to vomit. “Ugh!” After emptying her stomach, Yang Muyu felt much better. Leaning against the bed, she reached for a bowl of water on the bedside table to rinse her mouth.

As her lips touched the rim, a flurry of fragmented images flashed through her mind, too fast to grasp, finally settling on a woman drinking from a bowl of water before collapsing. Poison? Yang Muyu recoiled, quickly throwing down the bowl, spitting, and wiping her lips frantically. She pressed her suddenly throbbing head, staring at the portrait of a great leader on the wall, then at the large year on the calendar below it—shocked and delighted.

 Oh my god! Had the time-travel lottery finally hit this hardworking dog? God must have heard her prayers and spared her life.

Yang Muyu’s face broke into a wide smile; she knelt on the bed, clasped her hands together, and devoutly prayed. Remembering the time-travel stories she’d read, she boldly wished again: God, please grant your dear daughter some cheat codes! One or two wouldn’t be enough, three or four wouldn’t be too many. As soon as the thought left her mind, the elusive images flooded her brain, a sudden enlightenment.

Yang Muyu sat on the bed, sorting through the original owner’s memories, focusing on the bowl of water on the bedside table. It seemed she was playing the role of a poor, manipulated victim.

The original owner was 18, a year out of school and a year into her job. Not only did she share the same name, but also a difficult life: an orphan, a dead mother, a missing father, a deceitful uncle, a sanctimonious stepmother, a scheming stepsister, and a despicable fiancé. A month after her engineer father’s death, these seemingly kind people revealed their true faces, eyeing her property, job, and fiancé.

 Her fiancé and stepsister were secretly involved. The bowl of water was a plot by her fiancé, stepsister, and stepmother, with her uncle pulling the strings. Their goal was to catch her in an act of adultery, blackmail her, force her to break off the engagement, and seize her house, money, and job for her stepsister.

This was what the original owner overheard from her stepsister and stepmother before losing consciousness. A perfect scheme!

“Yang Muyu, that little vixen, is all yours, Wu. Here’s a bullwhip, a little gift from your brother!” A sleazy voice interrupted Yang Muyu’s thoughts, bringing back the memories. That was the voice of Zhao Yitian, her fiancé! “Haha, you’re a good guy. Don’t forget our agreement.” Wu Erliu, the thug hired to rape the original owner? Yang Muyu’s eyes turned cold. She quickly grabbed the iron flashlight beside her pillow, got out of bed, crouched behind the door, and listened carefully.

 “Understood, understood. As long as it works, you’ll get your share. All the scrap metal from the factory is yours. Oh, and there’s a bowl of…hehe…water on the bedside table. See if you want to use it. It’s guaranteed to work!” Yang Muyu looked at the bowl of water, gritting her teeth. Perfect preparation! “Alright, alright, get going.

Come back at the appointed time, don’t screw this up.” Wu Erliu urged, his high-pitched voice barely containing his eagerness. “Okay, okay, we won’t disturb Brother Wu’s good time.” Through the crack in the door, Yang Muyu saw her fiancé and stepsister leave, carefully closing the door behind them.

The doorknob to her room began to turn. Yang Muyu tightened her grip on the flashlight, a cold smile spreading across her face. This group of people were scheming against a single girl, were they?  Then they would all stay, none would leave. She’d show her heavenly mother that while she might be a little timid in front of her benefactor, she wasn’t a pushover otherwise! Her strength and fighting skills weren’t fake; she was undefeated in the orphanage, and even worked as a top instructor at the martial arts gym.

  “Hehe, little Muyu, where are you? Big brother’s here to take care of you!” With a creak, the door opened, and the weasely Wu Erliu stepped inside, a lecherous grin plastered on his face. Yang Muyu raised her flashlight and whacked him on the back of the head. She slammed the door shut and delivered a powerful kick to his back.

Wu Erliu collapsed to the ground, wailing in pain.  Yang Muyu moved swiftly, planting her foot firmly on his back. She tucked the flashlight into her waistband, grabbed his head, and shoved a tablecloth into his mouth, then slapped him several times.  Picking up the discarded bullwhip, she didn’t hesitate to lash out at him, paying special attention to a certain area.

“Wuwuwu——” Wu Erliu curled up, clutching his groin, writhing in agony.

Outside the main room, the two eavesdroppers heard the muffled whimpers and the sound of the whip cracking against flesh.  Both wore triumphant smiles. “Did you hear that? It’s quite intense in there.

 Once it’s done, we’ll come in and catch them in the act. After that, Yang Muyu will have to do as we say, and we can finally be together. And it will all be yours, Qianqian. You won’t have to be bullied by her anymore, and she’ll atone for what she did. How wonderful!” Zhao Yitian leaned down and kissed the person beside him, pulling her into his arms. Yang Qianqian snuggled closer, shyly covering her mouth with a laugh.

  A flash of malice crossed her eyes before she lowered her head, speaking softly and sweetly. “Yi Tian is so kind to me. But Muyu is still my sister. After she’s sent to the countryside, we should still prepare something for her, and give her my childhood fiancé. That way, she can have a good life. We can’t let her suffer.” Zhao Yitian hugged her tighter, “Qianqian, you’re so good. She’s already…tainted. And you’re still thinking of her future.

My dear Qianqian, I’m so lucky to have you in my life. Let’s go~”

Yang Muyu’s fists clenched. She flung open the door, whipping the embracing couple. She dragged them inside, slamming the door shut and raining blows upon them, the small bullwhip a constant companion. “Going where?  Once you’re here, you’re not leaving. Two little worms from the gutter pretending to be noble people. One mastered the art of pretending, the other mastered being a scumbag. A perfect pair of villains! You dared to disgust me, to hurt me!”