Chapter 3: The Future Mother-in-law

Yet Tang Xin was certain that, deep down, this man’s heart was soft. Hadn’t he just left in a fury, only to return moments later? His anger had been palpable, nearly overwhelming. And yet, even under such circumstances, he still brought her another glass of water, waiting for her to finish it before driving her away.

Tang Xin knew well what purpose that glass of water served; she obediently drank it all in one gulp, and sure enough, her mind felt much clearer.

As the others dispersed, Lu Liqin offered to escort Tang Xin and Meng Jia back—after all, the distance from here to the Educated Youth’s quarters was not insignificant.

Hearing this, Tang Xin instantly bristled, deliberately putting on an air of haughty indignation: “That’s not acceptable. How could I let another man see me home?”

Lu Liqin’s handsome face darkened further, but luckily it was night and the yard was unlit; no one else could see his expression.

“Tang Xin, how long are you going to keep this up? You’re not a child anymore—can’t you behave sensibly for once?”

Meng Jia, meanwhile, fanned the flames: “Brother Lu, don’t be so harsh. I’m sure Sister Tang Xin isn’t feeling too well right now.”

Of course she wasn’t. No matter what had compelled Tang Xin’s change of heart, she had just announced in front of everyone that she was going to marry Li Sheng.

Given the circumstances, even if she didn’t go through with it, there was no way she could still be with Lu Liqin.

Tang Xin had no intention of dealing with these two scoundrels. She hadn’t yet pieced together all the useful information, but her instincts told her neither of them were good people.

But the night was pitch-black outside, and Tang Xin had no desire to walk the road alone in darkness. Just as she turned, she spotted an old lady approaching, carrying a torch.

The old woman greeted Tang Xin with a gentle smile and shrewdly introduced herself first: “Comrade Tang, I’m Li Sheng’s mother. You can just call me Aunt Li.”

Though her hair was silver and her face deeply lined, the elder’s features still hinted at the striking beauty she must have been in her youth.

So she was Li Sheng’s mother—her future mother-in-law, perhaps?

Tang Xin quickly put on her sweetest, most obedient smile. “Hello, Aunt Li.”

The old lady, whose name was Fang, explained her purpose: she had come to escort her eldest daughter back to the Educated Youth’s quarters.

“Young girls shouldn’t walk at night alone. If you must, always bring a companion.”

How could such a kind and gentle woman be her future mother-in-law? Tang Xin felt as though everything that had happened tonight was nothing but a dream.

In a daze, she followed Aunt Li back to the Educated Youth’s quarters, thanked her, and returned to her own room.

After all this, Tang Xin was utterly spent. The moment she lay down, she fell asleep at once.

Then, as if in a dream, her mind remained clear. Scenes flashed rapidly through her head, glimpses of a young girl’s life from childhood to adulthood.

And when Tang Xin finally woke, she understood everything.

She had once been a beloved, cherished daughter, raised with every comfort. Her name had been given by her grandfather, who had been a scholar before Liberation—a name that sounded like “Sweetheart,” signifying she was the darling of the Tang family.

After a dozen years of hard work, she had finally finished her university entrance exams and been accepted into her dream college. She spent a carefree summer, preparing to enroll. But then, an accident: caught in the rain, she fell ill with a high fever. In her delirium, she vaguely heard someone whisper by her ear:

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for this, but you’re the only one who can do it. Go—maybe you can change my fate.”

And so Tang Xin crossed over—strangely enough, into a world she’d read about in an old-fashioned novel, becoming a side character with her own name.

The original Tang Xin in this body had always been her parents’ pampered darling, and she had a childhood sweetheart—a tacit understanding between their families that the two would marry someday. As the youngest and most beloved daughter, she could have avoided being sent down to the countryside. But an elderly houseguest persuaded her father, who prided himself on fairness, to “toughen up” his daughter. So, in 1969, the original Tang Xin was forced to join the Educated Youth.

Her childhood sweetheart, Lu Liqin, went with her, supposedly to look after her. Also accompanying them was Meng Jia, the daughter of that meddling old woman.

Since Father Tang was so upright, he couldn’t allow his benefactor’s daughter to shirk the labor, either. At first, Tang Xin was happy: she had her sweetheart and a good friend—how hard could rural life be?

She had no idea that Meng Jia secretly despised her. Tang Xin saw Meng Jia as her dearest friend and, because of her, Lu Liqin took extra care of Meng Jia as well.

Once in the countryside, Tang Xin suffered greatly. Lu Liqin, under orders from her father, pushed her to be strong and refused to help her with chores, which bred resentment in Tang Xin’s heart.

Stoked by Meng Jia’s provocations, Tang Xin became convinced that Lu Liqin had fallen for another girl and intended to take her back to the city. In a fit of anger, she went to the other girl’s brother’s bed, purely out of spite.

Meng Jia had told her that this brother was strong and efficient—if she could win him over, she wouldn’t have to work so hard every day. The Li family was influential in the Harvest Brigade; otherwise, why would Lu Liqin try so hard to get close to their daughter?

The original Tang Xin had beauty but lacked sense. She actually thought this was a clever idea and went to the Li family house late at night.

Unbeknownst to her, someone had drugged her at dinner, leaving her feverish. Fueled by Meng Jia’s words, she was easily swayed.

Everything had been carefully arranged. No one was in the Li family courtyard, so she slipped into Li Sheng’s room. But when she tried to take off her coat and force herself on him, Li Sheng pushed her away and left first.

At that moment, wracked by a splitting headache and fading consciousness, Tang Xin’s soul crossed over.

Now Tang Xin realized that, because of her intervention, the original story might change.

According to the novel, the original Tang Xin succeeded in seducing Li Sheng. Then Meng Jia brought Lu Liqin and the rest of the Li family, catching them in the act.

Under such circumstances, the Li family, though they disliked Tang Xin, had no choice but to accept her as Li Sheng’s wife.

But soon after their marriage, her husband was forced out to earn money and died unexpectedly. He was dead—just like that. The original Tang Xin became a widow less than two months after her wedding.

Her in-laws blamed her for his death, treating her as a jinx. Abused and unable to bear the torment, she eventually drowned herself.