Volume One, Chapter One: Reunion with the Male Lead Once Betrayed

"Eldest sister, something terrible has happened... something terrible..."

Jiang Weiyue was just stepping out of the main room with a basin of dough in her hands when she heard her younger sister, Jiang Weiyi, calling out in a panic.

In the village, people always hoped for good omens, and it was hardly auspicious for Jiang Weiyi to be shouting and making a scene so early in the morning at home. If their parents heard her shouting about bad news, they'd surely start another round of scolding.

Jiang Weiyue shot her sister a glare and lowered her voice, "Is the roof on fire, or what?"

"No, neither of those. It's—it's your former fiancé, Song Chuanhe, he's back..."

After saying this, Jiang Weiyi kept her eyes locked on Jiang Weiyue, surprised that her sister showed no reaction. Beyond fear, she was more astonished.

"Eldest sister, why aren't you reacting? Have you forgotten what we did to Song Chuanhe before?"

"Given his vengeful nature, he definitely won't let us off easily. And this time, he hasn't come back as the penniless troublemaker he used to be. He's now the director of the steel mill! Our father, brother, and both cousins from Second Uncle's house all work there. Life is going to get really hard for them."

"And that's not all. I bet we won't even be able to set up our breakfast stall at the factory gate anymore. Eldest sister, what are we going to do?"

Jiang Weiyue cursed inwardly. She wanted to ask someone else the same question—what should she do?

It was bad enough to accidentally end up inside a book, but she had landed in the resource-starved 1980s. Worse still, she had become the female antagonist who had hurt the male lead and was destined to suffer his harsh revenge.

By the time the male lead's anger cooled, the original owner had already been tormented into madness, eventually freezing to death on the street.

When Jiang Weiyue read this part of the novel, she could only curse at the original character for her stupidity. The male lead had treated her so well before he became successful. How could she have the heart to hurt him? Then again, considering this was a male-oriented novel, it made sense.

After all, in every male-oriented story, the protagonist starts out isolated, abandoned, and despised by his beloved, only to suffer deeply before leaving his hometown and rising to the pinnacle of life. In the end, he would always find happiness with the wealthy, beautiful heroine who had helped him during his lowest moments.

According to the timeline, the male lead, Song Chuanhe, had just retired from the army and been assigned to the largest steel mill in Sansui County.

There was no denying Song Chuanhe was cut out to be a protagonist—he had both ability and talent. Within a month of taking charge of the steel mill, he had won over all the workers and boosted production and sales.

Once his career was firmly established, Song Chuanhe began making trips back to Xiaojiang Village.

Even though there were no cell phones in this era and televisions were rare, rumors still spread as fast as wildfire. With so many villagers working at the steel mill, everyone knew Song Chuanhe was back as soon as he introduced himself at the factory meeting.

They all started recalling whether they had ever bullied Song Chuanhe and his widowed mother, all the while waiting to see a spectacle.

No matter the era, people always envied the rich and mocked the poor, relishing the downfall of others.

Everyone remembered how the eldest daughter of the Jiang family had entangled herself with Song Chuanhe back when he was a good-for-nothing. She ensnared him so completely that he was willing to sell his own blood to scrape together a betrothal gift and plan a lavish wedding.

It would have been one thing to marry him, but the Jiang family all saw Song Chuanhe as a worthless loafer with a sickly mother and eventually cast him aside.

They still recalled that snowy day when Song Chuanhe stood motionless outside the Jiang house, waiting for Jiang Weiyue, begging her to give him another chance and promising her a good life.

But no one—not even a single member of the Jiang family—came out that day.

It was said that Song Chuanhe nearly froze to death at their doorstep. After that, he left Xiaojiang Village with his mother.

Jiang Weiyue's head ached just thinking of all the wretched things the original character had done.

She turned to her anxious little sister and said, "Right now he's back to visit his family—he won't have time to notice us. Let's take today's breakfast over to the factory gate and sell as usual."

"Eldest sister, you're still willing to go? Aren't you afraid Song Chuanhe will really do something to you? We're setting up shop right under his nose!"

"What's there to be afraid of? In broad daylight, what's a grown man going to do to me? Come on, stop dawdling."

Jiang Weiyi couldn't stand up to her sister's resolve. Left with no choice, she helped load the tofu pudding, soy milk, steamed buns, and baozi onto the mule cart.

Once everything was loaded, Jiang Weiyue had Jiang Weiyi sit in the back while she took the reins at the front.

Their village was about seven or eight li from the steel mill—closer than most of the other workers.

Since the steel mill was a state-owned enterprise, every employee was assigned housing. Jiang Weiyue's father, two brothers, and their second uncle's family all had such arrangements.

They only came back to the village during the harvest; otherwise, they lived in the dormitories to avoid commuting.

Neither she nor Jiang Weiyi had jobs. In this era, jobs were like fixed pegs with no openings unless someone retired. Since she could cook decently, she set up a breakfast stand outside the factory gate.

Technically, stalls weren't allowed at the entrances of state-owned enterprises, but with the advent of reform and opening up, some places turned a blind eye. Besides, Jiang Weiyue's father was on good terms with those in charge at the factory.

With their approval, as long as she didn't interfere with official business, she was allowed to set up her stall at the gate.

Running a stall wasn't as respectable as having a job, but it was quite profitable—over a hundred yuan a month, though it was hard work.

No sooner had Jiang Weiyue left her house than the villagers began eyeing her with strange looks.

But she was used to it. In this village, even a chicken crossing the road would get gossiped about by the old folks.

"Jiang Girl, off to set up your stall?"

"Yes, Auntie."

"Oh my, do you really not know, or are you pretending?"

"Know what?"

"Your former fiancé, the one you wronged—Song Chuanhe—is back. After all your family did to hurt him, do you think he'll let you off?"

Once someone started talking, the rest couldn't hold back and began to chime in.

"That's right, Aunt Ping has a point. Song Chuanhe is really something now—not only is he the new director of the steel mill, but he's tearing down his old mud-brick house and building a two-story one."

As she said this, she eyed Jiang Weiyue, hoping to catch a glimpse of regret or remorse at the news of Song Chuanhe's triumphant return.

But they were disappointed; Jiang Weiyue didn't react at all.

Seeing this, they kept trying to frighten her.

"The steel mill is Song Chuanhe's domain now. Aren't you afraid he'll drive you away for selling breakfast at his gate?"

"Aunt Ping, Uncle, Second Uncle, have you eaten yet?"

"Oh my, Chuanhe, you look more handsome every year."

"Yes, I always said when he was little that this boy was destined for great things—and sure enough, he is."

"Chuanhe, come to my house for lunch with your mother today. I've prepared a feast. Let's share a drink together, eh?"

Just as Jiang Weiyue was about to retort, a deep, magnetic voice sounded behind her.

She didn't even need to look up to know who it was—the male lead himself, Song Chuanhe, had returned in glory!

Seated in the mule cart, Jiang Weiyi trembled all over at the sight of Song Chuanhe. Back when he had been courting her sister, he was notorious for being reckless and wild.

Now, though the gangster air was gone, he exuded a new kind of dominance—an intimidating force that sent chills down one's spine.

Even as the villagers tried to curry favor with flattery, not a single one dared step closer to him.