Original Text and the Start of School.
In the evening, Qin Shi announced during dinner that she had been hired as the school’s music teacher.
The twins’ eyes widened in amazement—they hadn’t expected her to be so capable.
“Qin Shi, can you sing a song for us?” An’an asked eagerly. “We’ve never heard you sing before!”
Pingping nodded enthusiastically, equally curious.
Gu Qinghai stayed quiet but kept glancing at Qin Shi, clearly interested.
Lu Zetian, on the other hand, was a bit surprised. “Weren’t you going to be an English teacher? How did you end up as a music teacher?”
“English?” An’an gasped. “Qin Shi, you know English too? That’s amazing!”
Gu Qinghai was equally stunned, realizing that Qin Shi was even more capable than he had thought.
Qin Shi explained what had happened during the day and then asked Lu Zetian, “Do you know Li Qianqian?”
Lu Zetian nodded. “She’s the niece of our regimental commander. She served in the military for two years before getting into university. After that, I don’t know much about her.”
Qin Shi nodded thoughtfully. She made a mental note to ask Auntie Zhao more about Li Qianqian tomorrow. There was something odd about the way Li Qianqian looked at her—full of veiled hostility and passive-aggressive remarks.
Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she looked at Lu Zetian. “Could it be that she likes you?”
The children froze, their eyes wide, their attention completely focused on Lu Zetian. Even their food was momentarily forgotten.
Lu Zetian’s face darkened. “What nonsense are you saying in front of the kids? I have nothing to do with her—we’ve only met twice.”
Unbothered, Qin Shi simply said, “Oh,” and turned to the children. “Liking someone is a normal thing. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about it.”
Pingping blinked. “Really?”
Qin Shi smiled. “Of course.”
“Liking someone is just a feeling, like when you enjoy certain people or things. Sometimes, it’s simple curiosity or admiration, like thinking someone is pretty. It’s a natural and normal human reaction,” she explained. “Liking and disliking are just emotions.”
The twins looked a little confused but seemed to understand the general idea.
In this era, people were often reserved and reluctant to express their emotions. Qin Shi didn’t want the children to grow up the same way, so she encouraged them to be open about their feelings.
Having never heard anyone talk about such things, the children were initially shy but soon felt enlightened by Qin Shi’s explanation.
An’an raised her hand excitedly. “So liking tasty food and pretty clothes is normal too?”
Qin Shi laughed. “Of course.”
An’an continued, “And liking to show off my new dress to my friends?”
Qin Shi nodded again, but this time added, “That’s normal too. However, showing off too much can annoy others. If you overdo it, your friends might not like it.”
An’an thought for a moment and nodded. “I get it now. Lili always shows off the things her uncle brings her, and we all end up disliking her because of it.”
She sighed like a little adult. “But when I showed Lili my new dress, she got mad. She always showed off her stuff, and we didn’t get mad at her. We just didn’t play with her. But then she went and pushed Pingping.”
Qin Shi smiled and said, “So showing off isn’t a good habit, right?”
An’an nodded firmly. “Right! I don’t want to be like Lili. Nobody likes playing with her.”
“Good job!” Qin Shi praised her. “Actually, you don’t need to show off. Everyone can see your new dress without you having to say anything.”
Pingping nodded in agreement. “When we went out to play, everyone noticed our new clothes right away and said they looked really nice!”
An’an glanced at Pingping’s injured lip and suddenly apologized. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have gone to show Lili my dress. I’m sorry, Pingping. It’s my fault you got hurt.”
Pingping grinned, showing his tiny teeth. “It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault.”
Still, An’an felt a little guilty, thinking that if she hadn’t shown off in front of Lili, things might have turned out differently.
Qin Shi’s heart melted at the sight of the twins—so smart, sweet, and well-behaved. How could anyone not adore them?
“That’s right, it wasn’t An’an’s fault. You were very brave to protect your brother,” Qin Shi said, patting An’an’s head. Comforted by the encouragement, An’an broke into a bright smile.
“Let’s eat before the food gets cold,” Qin Shi said.
“Okay!”
An’an added, “I really like tonight’s dinner. And I like Qin Shi too!”
Pingping chimed in, “Me too!”
Their innocent declarations of affection made Qin Shi’s smile widen.
Watching them, Gu Qinghai let out a quiet *hmph* in his mind. Two little suck-ups! But his gaze carried a hint of envy and longing.
Lu Zetian observed the interaction between Qin Shi and the children and thought to himself, She really does have a way with kids.
—
That night, the children didn’t need any help getting to bed. They climbed in on their own, played around a bit, and then waited eagerly for Gu Qinghai to tell them a bedtime story.
After freshening up, Qin Shi lay on her bed, but her thoughts kept drifting to Li Qianqian. There was something about her that felt strange and unsettling.
Before long, sleepiness overcame her, and Qin Shi gradually drifted off.
—
In her dream, Qin Shi suddenly found herself in a void—an empty space that was eerily familiar. It was the same place where the system had once collected her soul and allowed her to choose a small world.
Surprised, she looked around, confused as to why she had returned.
“System?”
“System!”
She called out several times, but there was no response. As she searched for a way out, the space lit up, and a massive book materialized before her.
Startled, Qin Shi approached the book cautiously. It had no title, its cover plain and unadorned. She hesitated before reaching out to touch it, and as soon as her fingers made contact, the pages began flipping on their own.
Startled, Qin Shi took a few steps back, watching as the book stopped at a specific page. The words on the page glowed with golden light, forming a beam that shot into her mind.
Overwhelmed, Qin Shi fainted in the void, only to awaken suddenly in the real world, sitting upright in her bed.
She glanced around and, seeing she was still in Lu Zetian’s house, let out a sigh of relief.
Taking a few deep breaths, she lay back down. However, her mind was now racing.
Who would’ve thought? Lu Zetian is also a character from a book. But unlike the stepmother novel she had initially chosen, Lu Zetian belonged to a different story entirely.
Qin Shi had entered the book The Doting Stepmother of the ’80s, where Lu Cai was the male lead. However, Lu Zetian was the male lead in the second book of the series, The General’s Charming Wife.
Apparently, the two books shared the same universe but had somehow fused together without the system noticing—until Qin Shi encountered Li Qianqian.
The system had scanned the situation, realized the anomaly, and transmitted the plot of The General’s Charming Wife to Qin Shi through her dream as a warning.
—
In the original plot of The General’s Charming Wife, Lu Zetian was the male lead, and Li Qianqian was the female lead. Mo Ling, Lu Zetian’s ex-wife, was relegated to the role of a cannon-fodder character.
According to the story, Mo Ling, a pampered city girl, divorced Lu Zetian because she didn’t want to raise three children. She later remarried another regimental commander and had triplets.
After Lu Zetian remarried Li Qianqian, the two families lived next to each other in newly built military housing, forming a clear contrast.
Both women came from the city and were raised in military families, but while Li Qianqian was portrayed as gentle and resilient, Mo Ling was painted as delicate and unable to endure hardship.
Li Qianqian raised Lu Zetian’s three children into successful adults: the eldest became a special forces soldier, the second a famous actor, and the third an internationally renowned designer.
Meanwhile, Mo Ling’s triplets were described as ordinary and frail, living unremarkable lives filled with the daily struggles of making ends meet.
The story’s moral was clear: many characters lamented that Mo Ling should have never divorced Lu Zetian. The stark contrast between the two families was often used to highlight the “rightness” of Lu Zetian’s second marriage.
—
Reading this in her dream, Qin Shi couldn’t help but laugh.
Of course, Lu Zetian’s children thrived. They were naturally healthy and intelligent, and Lu Zetian’s high salary provided them with excellent living conditions. Meanwhile, Mo Ling’s triplets were born weaker, and her husband’s income was largely spent supporting his extended family, leaving little for their upbringing.
Li Qianqian wasn’t foolish—she genuinely loved Lu Zetian and wouldn’t harm his children. Growing up in a harmonious environment, the kids naturally flourished.
In contrast, Mo Ling’s husband was a stubbornly traditional man who prioritized his siblings and parents over his wife and children. With a strained marriage and weak children, Mo Ling had her hands full. The fact that she managed to raise her triplets at all was commendable in Qin Shi’s eyes.
Still, the author had exaggerated the contrast between the two families to an absurd degree, riddling the story with plot holes. Qin Shi found the whole thing laughable.
She finally understood why Lu Zetian had adopted the twins so decisively in this timeline—it was the author’s way of preserving his “purity.” Since the children weren’t his biologically, it maintained his image as a noble and virtuous man.
But why did the author insist on portraying Lu Zetian as “pure” despite having been married to Mo Ling? The story even described their rare intimate moments in detail, only to have Li Qianqian later express jealousy over not being his “first.” It dragged on for several chapters, all for the sake of padding the word count.
Qin Shi rolled her eyes at the memory. There are so many better ways to develop their relationship! Why use something so shallow and cringy?
If she were a reader, she’d have given the book a scathing review.
—
Unable to fall back asleep after everything she’d learned, Qin Shi got out of bed early.
As she headed to the bathroom, she ran into Lu Zetian. He looked surprised to see her awake so early. “You’re up already?”
“Had a nightmare. Couldn’t sleep,” Qin Shi replied, looking a bit deflated.
“What kind of nightmare?” Lu Zetian asked, concerned. “Are you okay?”
Qin Shi joked, “I dreamt that our world—”
Before she could finish, a familiar jolt of electricity coursed through her, making her shiver. Her body went limp, and she began to collapse. Fortunately, Lu Zetian reacted quickly, catching her before she hit the ground.
“What’s wrong?” Lu Zetian frowned, looking at Qin Shi with concern.
He helped her to the sofa, and Qin Shi finally regained her composure. Damn it!
“It’s nothing, just a bit of low blood sugar. I’ll be fine after eating something,” Qin Shi waved him off.
Still worried, Lu Zetian noticed her pale face and asked her to rest. He went to the kitchen and quickly prepared a cup of sugar water for her.
Qin Shi took a sip—it was overly sweet—but she managed to finish it. The sharp pain from the electric shock subsided, and her complexion began to return to normal, finally easing Lu Zetian’s worries.
“Next time, eat something first thing after you get up,” he suggested.
Qin Shi nodded absentmindedly, her mind racing. I can’t reveal this world is from a book, but what about other hints?
Gathering her courage, she organized her thoughts and carefully tested the waters. “I dreamed I was trapped inside a television, acting as one of the characters, following a pre-written script. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t control myself.”
When there was no electric shock, Qin Shi let out a breath of relief and continued, watching Lu Zetian’s expression. “It felt like everything in my life was meticulously arranged, and I couldn’t break free. It scared me so much I woke up.”
Lu Zetian’s expression shifted, and Qin Shi’s heart skipped a beat. “What is it?” she asked.
Shaking his head, Lu Zetian seemed to hesitate before saying, “I’ve felt the same way—like something about my past wasn’t right.” He rubbed his temples. “Now that you’ve mentioned it, it’s like a fog has lifted. I felt as if I was being controlled.”
Qin Shi stared at him, stunned. He’s noticed something’s off? Is he breaking free from his scripted persona?
Suddenly, Lu Zetian chuckled and relaxed. “But that’s all in the past. Now, I’ve never felt more clear-headed.”
A faint *snap* echoed in Qin Shi’s mind. Startled, she looked up at Lu Zetian’s head but saw nothing unusual. The room was empty and quiet, leaving her puzzled.
“Did you hear that sound just now?” Qin Shi asked tentatively.
“What sound?” Lu Zetian looked at her quizzically.
“It sounded like… like something snapping,” Qin Shi described.
Lu Zetian shook his head, concern crossing his face. “You should rest more. Don’t overwork yourself today. Let the kids eat at the cafeteria; you need to relax.”
He had noticed how hard Qin Shi worked daily—keeping the house spotless, cooking, sewing, studying, and looking after the kids. It was clear to him that she needed a break.
Qin Shi nodded, leaning back on the sofa. “Alright.”
She didn’t feel like doing anything today anyway. Her curiosity about Lu Zetian’s situation and the world’s mechanics had her completely distracted.
“It’s getting late. I’ll head out,” Lu Zetian said, standing. As he reached the door, he turned back to Qin Shi. “I’ll bring lunch home from the cafeteria.”
“Oh, okay,” Qin Shi replied absentmindedly.
The door clicked shut as Lu Zetian left.
Qin Shi sat in a daze for a moment before realization struck her. The snapping sound… could it have been the severing of the thread controlling Lu Zetian? Has he fully awakened, free from the story’s influence?
She let out a long sigh of relief, sprawling across the sofa. Whatever the reason, this is great news! If the story no longer controls him, I don’t need to look for another employer.
Working for Lu Zetian wasn’t bad at all—good food, good treatment, well-behaved kids, and manageable work. The thought of potentially being stuck with some ridiculous, poorly written characters was far more daunting.
As for Li Qianqian…
Qin Shi’s expression grew serious. She didn’t come across as the gentle, intelligent heroine from the book at all. Instead, she seemed self-assured, arrogant, and a little sly.
She shot up from the sofa, her eyes wide with realization. Could it be that her soul has been replaced too? Is she a transmigrator or reborn?
If Li Qianqian were reborn, she’d have already married Lu Zetian by now. She would have known how to win over the kids effortlessly. But if she were a transmigrator… Does she know the plot of the book?
“I’ll wait and see,” Qin Shi muttered coldly. “But if she dares to mess with me, I won’t hold back.”
Trying to interfere with my boss and jeopardize my job? She’d better be prepared for the consequences.
—
That afternoon, Lu Zetian didn’t come home for lunch but instead went to the cafeteria, surprising everyone.
“Huh? You’re eating here today?” Commissar Zheng asked, startled to see him in line.
“Qin Shi isn’t feeling well today, so I’m getting food to bring home,” Lu Zetian explained.
Commissar Zheng chuckled, “Good, good. A wife deserves to be pampered.”
Lu Zetian nodded but didn’t elaborate. Their marriage was a mere agreement—something only the two of them needed to know.
Carrying the packed food, Lu Zetian returned home. On his way through the residential area, he encountered several neighbours who immediately started gossiping as they watched him from behind.
“The new wife of Commander Lu has some skills, huh? She’s got him coming home for every meal already.”
“Look at all that food he’s carrying! Tsk, tsk!”
“This rural woman is something else!”
The women exchanged meaningful glances, their expressions full of intrigue.
—
Back home, An’an ran up to Lu Zetian and clung to his leg. “Daddy! What did you bring? Big cafeteria or small cafeteria food?”
Lu Zetian frowned. “Be grateful there’s food. No being picky.”
An’an wasn’t intimidated and clung tighter, humming as she said, “I’m just asking! I’m not being picky!”
Sighing, Lu Zetian bent down to scoop her up and walked into the house. “Where’s Qin Shi?”
An’an wrapped her arms around his neck. “She’s reading with Pingping.”
“And why aren’t you reading?” Lu Zetian asked, glancing at her.
An’an pressed her cheek against his face, hiding her expression. “I don’t want to.”
Lu Zetian could only shake his head in exasperation. An’an was bold and restless, while Pingping was shy and quiet, preferring to read and draw. If only the two could balance each other’s personalities, he thought.
“And your older brother?”
“He’s doing his summer homework.”
“Next year, you and Pingping will be starting school, too.”
At that, An’an let out a dissatisfied groan and buried her head in Lu Zetian’s neck, pretending not to hear.
—
When Qin Shi saw them coming in, she smiled. “What are you two talking about?”
Lu Zetian put An’an down and said, “That they’ll be starting kindergarten next year.”
Pingping’s eyes lit up at the news, but An’an pouted. “There’s still a whole year! We can talk about it next year, Daddy!”
Stretching her arms upward, An’an tried to help Lu Zetian put the food down. “Daddy, I’m hungry! Let’s eat!”
Lu Zetian sighed helplessly, while Qin Shi chuckled. She set aside what she was doing and took the food from Lu Zetian, sending him off to freshen up.
An’an relaxed, seeing that the topic was dropped for now, and quickly chased after Qin Shi, offering to help.
—
After lunch, Qin Shi began sketching designs for a room. She’d been so busy lately that she hadn’t had time for this. Finally finding a quiet moment, she decided to focus on it.
Sleeping in the small room had started to feel stifling. The lack of windows left her feeling suffocated at night. Leaving the door open wasn’t an option either—it wouldn’t be appropriate since she and Lu Zetian were only a couple in name. She didn’t want any accidental awkwardness.
However, Qin Shi wasn’t an expert in interior design. She only knew the basics, and major renovations weren’t feasible, so she planned to take her time.
—
As the days passed, the new school year approached.
Gu Qinghai was starting fourth grade. Wearing the new outfit Qin Shi had made for him, along with new shoes from the supply store, and sporting a fresh haircut, he looked completely refreshed. His face, now fuller from eating well and living worry-free, glowed with energy.
Pingping and An’an stared enviously at Gu Qinghai’s satchel, decorated with a tank stitched from scraps of cloth. They begged Qin Shi to make them similar ones.
Qin Shi promised, “Next year, when you start school, I’ll make you even better ones.”
An’an was conflicted. She wanted the bag but didn’t want to go to school. She was visibly torn.
To coax them, Qin Shi brought the twins along to drop Gu Qinghai off at school. After he went inside, she took them to see the kindergarten, showing them the slides and the children playing there.
An’an was instantly captivated by the big slide. Her resistance to school vanished, and she even wished she could start this year.
However, after asking around, Qin Shi learned that the kindergarten only accepted children aged five and above into its small class. The twins would have to wait until next year.
An’an, now deflated, pouted all the way home, leaving Qin Shi amused.
—
As a music teacher, Qin Shi didn’t have much to do on the first day of school. She simply reported in, familiarized herself with the office, and picked up her schedule.
In the afternoon, while at school, she ran into Zhou Qian, and the two struck up a conversation. They clicked immediately, and Zhou Qian admired Qin Shi’s dress. When she learned that Qin Shi had made it herself, she couldn’t stop praising her talent. The two agreed to have a meal together at the cafeteria sometime.
Feeling pleased with her new friendship, Qin Shi continued toward the middle school department with a smile on her face. It’s good to work and meet new people—it builds a social circle. Staying cooped up at home all day gets boring.
When she introduced herself to her colleagues at the office, she was relieved to find them all friendly and easy-going.
Music teachers didn’t even have designated textbooks, leaving the curriculum entirely up to them. Qin Shi appreciated the flexibility and, after confirming she didn’t have classes that afternoon, prepared to head home.
As she walked out of the office, she bumped into a male colleague. Smiling politely, she greeted him, but he only gave her a curt nod and walked past her into the office without a word.
Qin Shi’s smile froze. What’s his problem? So arrogant!
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