Chapter 1: Jumped River, Rescued by Wild Man
Spring 1975, Huangxi Village
The Su family is in complete chaos!
Their eldest daughter, Su He, has jumped into the river!
Miraculously, she was rescued by a wild man!
Seeing a villager approaching, the wild man dashed up into the back mountain—vanished without a trace.
Though pulled out, Su He was burning with fever all night.
Old Madam Su gripped ten yuan in her hand and cursed, “What a nuisance! We just sent off that lazy trickster, and now this one’s trying to kill herself—what a waste of money!”
She flung the money at daughter-in-law Zhao Cui’er: “Bringing you into the Su family has been our worst misfortune for eight generations. You couldn’t even produce a son, and you brought in the wrong daughter too!
I’d rather have the original girl—at least she didn’t pull stunts like crying, making scenes, or hanging herself!
But this one’s “hero” got caught by a wild man—our reputation’s shot! Who’d dare marry her now?!”
Zhao Cui’er ignored her mother-in-law’s ranting and urged her husband, Su Yongguo, to quickly borrow the village ox-cart.
With no doctor in the village, they had to travel twenty li (about 10 km) to the Huaihua Commune Clinic.
At this moment, Su He lay on the kang bed and opened her eyes.
It felt as if ten thousand divine beasts were racing through her heart. Wasn’t she just sleeping at a seaside resort hotel? Why am I… transmigrated now?
Yesterday: seafood, sea breeze, bikini. Today: rural kang bed and quilt?
She’d transmigrated into a backward, morally skewed time-travel novel she read months ago, titled “In the Seventies: I’m the Real Heiress.”
In that novel, both the heroine Shen Ruyi’s mother and Su He’s mother gave birth at the Huaihua Commune Clinic simultaneously. Shen Ruyi’s mother, Song Xian, hemorrhaged during childbirth, plunging the clinic into chaos—and that’s how the babies got switched.
The Shen family later moved to the provincial capital and prospered.
But the Su family stayed stuck in this godforsaken Huangxi Village, relying on relief grain to survive lean times.
What was supposed to be a simple accident took a serious toll. Su Yongguo and Zhao Cui’er devoted all their love to Shen Ruyi, who was born weak—falling ill every two days, growing worse every three.
They sought every doctor available. Finally, an old TCM doctor helped her recover, and only then did Shen Ruyi thrive.
Because of this, Su Yongguo and Zhao Cui’er doted on her—despite her laziness and appetite, they never laid a finger on her.
They even postponed having a second child to focus on her recovery. Only after she grew stronger did they have Su Xiaoman.
But that ungrateful Shen Ruyi despised it all—consumed by the belief that Su He stole her rightful identity as the Shen heiress, she began a vicious revenge.
As for the original Su He—though unloved by her mother—she still enjoyed a pampered life in the Shen household.
But now she’s back in this godforsaken village.
Two months have passed since her return, and she’s been half-dead every day—she hasn’t worked a day in her life; even eating requires Zhao Cui’er’s repeated coaxing, complete with looks of disgust.
A few days ago, Shen Ruyi came by.
She badgered the original Su He one day so badly that Su He, devastated, jumped into the river…
“Su He, you—you’re awake?”
Zhao Cui’er’s joyful voice snapped Su He out of her thoughts.
Su He sighed inwardly: if I’ve transmigrated, I might as well accept it and endure.
She looked at Zhao Cui’er, tears glistening in her eyes. “Mom, I’ve thought it through. From now on, I’ll behave—won’t stubbornly guilt-trip anyone again.”
Zhao Cui’er froze!
Though Su He had returned to the Su household, she’d never once called Zhao Cui’er “Mother.” Now, after this near-death experience, she’s had a change of heart.
Choked up, Zhao Cui’er replied, “That’s good—really good.”
Su Yongguo, standing nearby, had red eyes too. The couple had been beside themselves with worry over their daughter—now, it seemed light was finally breaking through.
Old Madam Su picked up the ten yuan Zhao Cui’er had placed by the kang, gripping it tightly. She snorted. “If you’ve thought it through, get back to work tomorrow. That lazy, gluttonous thing at least earned two work credits a day.
Since you’ve returned, you’ve been freeloading at home as if you were some city lady!”
Zhao Cui’er replied, “Mother, Su He still has a fever—let her rest another couple of days!”
Her words drew another round of scolding from Old Madam Su. Only after Old Su man hacked and coughed did she stomp back to the east room.
The Su family had three rooms: the old couple in the east-facing room, Su Yongguo and his family in the west room; the middle room served as kitchen and dining room.
Zhao Cui’er wiped her tears: “Dear, please return the ox-cart. I’ll go make something for Su He to eat.”
Su Yongguo agreed and left. Zhao Cui’er went to the outer room.
Soon after, Old Madam Su’s shouting came through: “She jumped into the river and somehow that’s become an accomplishment? The two hens we have have hardly laid eggs this month—not enough to meet the quota! How can we spare any for her?!
She can drink corn porridge—or chew on vegetable buns!”
Zhao Cui’er pleaded, “Mother, she hasn’t eaten all day. Please let me fry her a poached egg!”
Su He’s feelings were complicated—she never imagined poached eggs would become a luxury.
And her stepmother really was soft—completely under the old woman’s thumb.
She forced herself to sit up on the kang and moved to the doorway. “Mom, Grandma’s right—I didn’t deserve a poached egg after jumping into the river!…”
Old Madam Su looked triumphant—thinking this “dead girl” had actually come to her senses.
Next moment, Su He said: “Mom, I feel dizzy. Better send me to the commune clinic! Maybe I can get some nutritional injections and feel better. They can’t be expensive—three or five yuan a bottle. I’ll need eight or ten bottles.”
Old Madam Su: “…”
Though she’d never heard of nutritional injections, Su He spoke with such certainty she had to believe her.
Grudgingly, she pulled an egg out of a gourd jar.
“Mom, I feel terrible—one egg isn’t enough. I need five. Or better leave it; let’s go for the injections.”
Old Madam Su chewed her tongue and glared—but eventually produced five eggs.
“Eat! Eat till you drop! You haven’t earned any work credits—and you used up five eggs! What kind of debt collector have we gotten in our family!?”
China 1970s Brief History Info:
In 1970, China was in the midst of the Cultural Revolution, a period of intense political and social upheaval. While the revolution was winding down, its effects continued to be felt across the country. Simultaneously, China began to shift its foreign policy, establishing formal diplomatic relations with several Western countries and Japan.
Cultural Revolution:
The Cultural Revolution, launched in 1966, continued to disrupt Chinese society, with ongoing purges of perceived political enemies and widespread social chaos. Mao Zedong’s policies were criticized, and the failure of the Great Leap Forward and the subsequent famine led to Mao withdrawing from some decision-making.
Shifting Foreign Policy:
Following the Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s, China began to normalize relations with Western nations. In 1970, China established formal diplomatic ties with Canada and Italy.
Economic Reforms Begin:
While the major economic reforms would come later, the groundwork for them was being laid. The failure of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution exposed the need for change.
Population Control:
Recognizing the challenges of a rapidly growing population, China began to implement population control measures in the 1970s.
