Tong Xuelü was awakened by the chirping of cicadas outside the window.
Wait a minute.
She clearly remembered skiing at a ski resort before she lost consciousness. It had been the middle of winter—where had these cicadas come from?
She opened her eyes in confusion.
The first thing she saw was a mosquito net made of coarse fabric. On the wooden table beside the bed sat an old-fashioned thermos flask and an enamel mug printed with the slogan:
**Women Hold Up Half the Sky.**
Tong Xuelü was still trying to make sense of the situation when the bedroom door was violently shoved open.
Cai Chunlan walked inside. When she saw the person on the bed lying there with her eyes closed, she curled her thick lips and began complaining.
“Just look at Little Sister! She’s already grown, yet she still does things that make everyone worry. She actually tried to hang herself at home! Had I not come in to check on her, someone would’ve died in this house today!”
“All right, say a little less…”
“Why should I say less?!” Cai Chunlan snapped. “Before, I thought she was your biological younger sister and my real sister-in-law, so I tolerated her. But now that we know for certain she isn’t a daughter of the Tong family, why should I continue worshipping her like some revered ancestor? As far as I’m concerned, the moment she wakes up, we should throw her out!”
Cai Chunlan looked at the person on the bed with obvious schadenfreude.
Everyone in the General Logistics Department compound knew that the two elders of the Tong family doted most on their youngest daughter. They were afraid she would fall if they held her in their hands and melt if they kept her in their mouths. Even their two sons had to take a step back for her.
Tong Xuelü had eaten and drunk well since childhood. She had been raised with skin even fairer and more delicate than a freshly peeled egg.
Unfortunately, Tong Xuelü had an unreasonable and wilful personality. Even Cai Chunlan, her sister-in-law, had always been forced to give way to her.
Cai Chunlan had thought she would have to endure such a suffocating existence for many more years. Unexpectedly, two months ago, a young woman had suddenly appeared at the Tong residence and claimed that she was the Tong family’s daughter—the child who had been abducted fifteen years ago.
The news struck the entire Tong family like a bolt of lightning, leaving everyone stunned.
Fifteen years ago, three-year-old Tong Xuelü had been abducted by human traffickers. She was not found until two years later.
Because she had a small fleshy mole on her back and all the other details matched, the Tong family had never suspected anything.
Who would have imagined that they had raised someone else’s child all these years?
The woman’s voice was loud, shrill, and full of energy. Tong Xuelü’s head throbbed from the noise, and she wished she could leap up and slap her.
By now, however, she had finished digesting the memories in her mind that did not belong to her.
She felt an overwhelming urge to curse the god responsible for transmigration.
She had actually transmigrated into a novel.
A moment ago, she had been skiing with a young hunk at a ski resort. He was handsome, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. Combined with his outstanding family background, he had been a rather excellent suitor.
Over the years, countless men had fallen at her feet.
She thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being admired and pursued, but she never gave her heart away easily.
Because of that, many people had called her the VIP of green-tea bitches and the ultimate fighter among heartless women.
She had merely laughed it off.
Compared with men, the world had always been far harsher towards women.
That young man had pursued her for three years. He was obedient, considerate, and highly capable in his own right.
She had been thinking that perhaps she should choose him, retire from the game, and become a virtuous wife and loving mother.
Unfortunately, before she could experience a relationship that satisfied both the heart and the body, she crashed head-first into a tree beside the ski slope.
When she woke again, she had arrived in the 1970s.
Before transmigrating, she had once discussed the subject with one of her fake best friends. They had asked each other which era they would most like to travel back to.
At the time, Tong Xuelü had said that any era would be fine, as long as it was not the impoverished 1960s or 1970s.
And yet she had been sent straight to the 1970s.
What a goddamn joke!
Worse still, this novel was one of those face-slapping wish-fulfilment stories with completely twisted values.
In the novel, the female lead used her rebirth as a golden finger to reclaim her identity. She then stole the fake heiress’s fiancé and job before rising to the very peak of life.
The body Tong Xuelü had transmigrated into belonged to that very fake heiress.
As a supporting female character whose intelligence had been forcibly lowered for the sake of the plot, she would be repeatedly humiliated by the female lead. Afterwards, she would be schemed into marrying a divorced older man, suffer domestic violence, and eventually die.
In other words, she was nothing more than a disposable tool whose intelligence had been forcibly reduced so the heroine could look impressive!
Could this be the legendary force of karma?
But she had never been anyone’s mistress, nor had she ever made life difficult for her fellow women.
Did she really deserve such ruthless treatment?
Forget it.
Since she was already here, she might as well wing it.
Besides, this body was only eighteen years old—seven years younger than she had been before transmigrating.
Technically speaking, she had profited.
As for the plot and the heroine’s golden finger, she was not afraid in the slightest.
She would simply treat this as changing maps and continue conquering the NPCs.
At present, the original owner’s biological parents had both died in a car accident some time ago.
Apart from the original owner, they had left behind three other children.
Although those three children were currently poor and destitute, they would eventually become some of the most influential figures in their respective industries.
Two possible paths now lay before her.
**One:** Stay with the Tong family and fight the original heroine in endless household battles until they became like two pecking hens with blackened eyes.
**Two:** Leave the Tong family and return to raise the three future tycoons.
Since she had transmigrated into a novel, she naturally had to become the powerful female lead of a satisfying wish-fulfilment story.
Whoever wanted to become a household-fighting hen could go right ahead.
She was going to play a raising game!
With that thought, her eyelashes fluttered twice, and she let out an indistinct murmur.
Noticing the movement, Cai Chunlan leaned over and shoved her roughly.
“If you’re awake, hurry up and get out of bed!”
Tong Xuelü moved her lips and mumbled something else.
Unable to hear her clearly, Cai Chunlan bent down and brought her ear closer to Tong Xuelü’s mouth.
“What exactly are you saying? Speak louder!”
Tong Xuelü pressed her lips together slightly.
Then she grabbed Cai Chunlan by the shoulder and unleashed a groundhog-like shriek.
“AAAAAAAAAH—!”
Cai Chunlan was completely unprepared.
Her ear suffered an earthquake.
She nearly died on the spot.
Feeling as though she had been deafened, Cai Chunlan smacked Tong Xuelü’s hand away.
“Are you sick in the head? Why are you screaming like a ghost? Ow, my ear…”
Tong Xuelü sat up and clutched her chest, revealing a frightened expression.
“I just… dreamed that Second Sister-in-law turned into a tigress and tried to drive me out of the Tong family. It was terrifying.”
Second Brother Tong: “…”
Cai Chunlan: “…”
Cai Chunlan’s ears were still ringing. Now that she had also heard Tong Xuelü call her a tigress, her face twisted with fury.
She was just about to unleash a stream of curses when footsteps sounded outside the door.
“What happened? Who screamed so loudly?”
Eldest Brother Tong and his wife, Chen Yueling, hurried into the room.
Second Brother Tong quickly explained, “It’s nothing. Little Sister had a nightmare and woke up frightened.”
The moment he finished speaking, they saw tears streaming down Tong Xuelü’s face.
All four people in the room were immediately startled.
Cai Chunlan felt the guiltiest. She stiffened her neck, widened her eyes, and shouted, “You frightened yourself with your own dream! When did I ever say I was going to drive you out? Don’t you dare blame me!”
Although it had already been confirmed that Tong Xuelü was not a daughter of the Tong family, they had raised her for more than ten years.
Even people developed feelings for cats and dogs after keeping them for so long.
Her parents-in-law could not bear to part with Tong Xuelü. Therefore, before a final decision was made, Cai Chunlan did not dare offend her too badly.
She was afraid Tong Xuelü might settle the score with her later.
Tong Xuelü climbed out of bed and casually exposed the back of her hand, which Cai Chunlan had smacked red.
“Don’t worry, Second Sister-in-law. I don’t blame you.”
When the two Tong brothers saw the red mark, they both turned and glared at Cai Chunlan.
Cai Chunlan: “…”
Tong Xuelü wiped her tears and rubbed her eyes until they became bright red.
“Eldest Brother, Second Brother, this may be the last time I address you this way. I know I’m no longer welcome in this family. I’ll leave now.”
Eldest Brother Tong said, “Little Sister, don’t let your imagination run wild. As long as your eldest brother is here, no one in this family can drive you away.”
Second Brother Tong glared at his wife again.
“That’s right, Little Sister. Just stay here. There are so many people in the Tong family. Surely we can afford to support one more person?”
Cai Chunlan gritted her teeth in anger.
Tong Xuelü shook her head.
“Although I can’t bear to leave Mum, Dad, my brothers, and my sisters-in-law, my staying here will only make things difficult for everyone. It’s better for me to leave.”
“Thank you for tolerating me all these years. I know I was too wilful in the past and disappointed you again and again. That won’t happen anymore…”
“Mum’s knees aren’t good. They hurt whenever it’s windy or rainy, so I’ll have to trouble my brothers and sisters-in-law to take care of her in the future.”
“Dad suffers from migraines. You must stop him from secretly drinking alcohol…”
By the end, her voice had become choked with emotion again.
Tears swirled in her eyes, yet she stubbornly held them back and refused to let them fall.
People were sometimes very strange.
When a sensible person constantly said such thoughtful things, everyone would become accustomed to it.
But when someone who was usually wilful and unreasonable suddenly said them, everyone would believe that person had finally grown up and become sensible.
At that moment, Eldest Brother Tong, his wife, and Second Brother Tong felt exactly that way.
Especially when they saw the usually wilful Tong Xuelü with reddened eyes, not even daring to cry, their hearts immediately softened.
Chen Yueling walked over and took her hand.
“Little Sister, you should stay. If you leave like this, how are we supposed to explain it when Mum and Dad return from the hospital?”
The newly returned sister-in-law, Tong Zhenzhen, had been malnourished. After Tong Xuelü cursed her a few times, anger and emotional distress had caused her to faint, and she had been taken to hospital.
When Tong Xuelü saw that her foster parents were ignoring her, she had thrown a tantrum and then attempted to hang herself, turning the entire household upside down.
Originally, Chen Yueling had been quite dissatisfied with her younger sister-in-law.
Now, however, she felt that Tong Xuelü had not had an easy time either.
The family she had lived with for more than ten years had suddenly told her that they were not related by blood, while both her biological parents were already dead.
Tong Xuelü had been pampered since childhood. It was understandable that she would become emotional after encountering something like this.
Had Chen Yueling been in her position, she would certainly have felt devastated as well.
Tong Xuelü still shook her head.
“Thank you, Eldest Sister-in-law, but I’ve already made my decision. I’ll have to entrust this family to my brothers and sisters-in-law from now on!”
After speaking, she pulled her hand free and walked towards the door.
When everyone saw that she truly intended to leave, their feelings became even more complicated.
Eldest Brother Tong quickly took out all the money he had on him and instructed his wife, “We can’t let Little Sister leave empty-handed. Yueling, hurry and pack her clothes so she can take them with her!”
Seeing this, Second Brother Tong also hurriedly reached for his money.
He did not have much on him, so he turned and told Cai Chunlan to return to their room and fetch some.
Cai Chunlan was extremely unwilling.
However, she could not openly refuse in front of everyone, so she twisted her hips and returned to her room with a dark expression.
Upon hearing Eldest Brother Tong’s words, the corners of Tong Xuelü’s mouth curled upwards.
Her footsteps immediately slowed to the pace of a crawling tortoise.
When she finally reached the entrance to the small courtyard, she silently counted down.
Three.
Two.
One.
The next moment, Chen Yueling’s voice came from behind her.
“Little Sister, wait!”
Tong Xuelü turned around with a puzzled expression.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, is there something else?”
Panting, Chen Yueling stuffed an army-green shoulder bag and a travel bag into her arms.
“Take these clothes back with you. There’s also some money and ration coupons inside. Use them for now. Later, if they aren’t enough…”
“No, I can’t!”
Tong Xuelü interrupted her in shock and pushed the bags back.
“I’m no longer a daughter of the Tong family. I can’t take the Tong family’s belongings.”
Seeing her behave this way made Chen Yueling feel even more strongly that she had changed.
“Little Sister, just accept them. I’ve already asked around. The other Tong family—your biological parents’ family—isn’t doing well.”
“You’ll still need food and drink when you return. If we truly let you go back empty-handed, wouldn’t Mum and Dad scold us to death when they return?”
Tong Xuelü revealed a troubled expression and bit her lower lip.
“…Then I’ll accept them temporarily. Once I earn money, I’ll repay my brothers and sisters-in-law.”
It was not that she wanted to take advantage of them.
It was simply that the other Tong family was extremely poor, and she needed this money as start-up capital.
Once she earned money in the future, she would naturally repay them many times over.
Chen Yueling raised her hand and stroked Tong Xuelü’s head. Her voice became slightly choked.
“You child. How did you suddenly become so sensible? It’s enough to make one’s heart ache.”
Tong Xuelü’s eyes glistened with tears.
“After dying once, it would be inexcusable if I still hadn’t become sensible. Sister-in-law, actually, I…”
“Actually what?”
Seeing her hesitate, Chen Yueling assumed she was facing some difficulty.
“Whatever it is, you can tell your eldest sister-in-law.”
Tong Xuelü looked at her with tender concern.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, I’m afraid that after I leave, someone in the Tong family will bully you.”
“…”
The little tyrant of the Tong family was Tong Xuelü herself.
Once she left, who else would be doing the bullying?
Tong Xuelü continued, “Eldest Sister-in-law, you must have noticed it too. Tong Zhenzhen has only been back for two days, but she’s already formed an alliance with Second Sister-in-law.”
“You’re kind-hearted and aren’t good at arguing with others. I’m worried that you’ll be placed at a disadvantage and suffer grievances in the future!”
“…”
Chen Yueling had never considered the matter from that perspective.
Now that Tong Xuelü had reminded her, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.
She and Cai Chunlan had never gotten along.
Although Tong Xuelü was wilful, she had at least shown her eldest sister-in-law some respect. Moreover, Tong Xuelü had always disliked Cai Chunlan.
Therefore, in the past, the two of them had joined forces against Cai Chunlan.
Now there was a new younger sister-in-law, and that woman had already chosen Cai Chunlan’s side.
How could Chen Yueling possibly win an argument against both of them alone in the future?
Seeing Chen Yueling’s eyebrows knot tightly together, Tong Xuelü patted her shoulder and turned to leave.
The moment her back was turned, the corners of her lips curved upwards.
A bright, dazzling smile appeared on her luminous, fair face.
Tong Zhenzhen had been reborn to seek revenge.
Tong Xuelü naturally had to find something to keep her occupied.
Only then would Tong Zhenzhen have no time to come and bother her.
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