In June, the sky brightened early, and in the village in the morning, the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking were distinct and clear.
Wang Miaomiao did not sleep well. She felt like she had a very long dream, and when she opened her eyes, staring at the tent top, her mind was blank and she couldn’t tell what year it was...
The room was quiet, but outside, voices could be heard from time to time.
After some time, "Miaomiao, are you awake?" Liu Yulan’s voice came from the doorway.
"Hmm, I’m awake." Wang Miaomiao responded, coming back to her senses.
"If you’re awake, get up quickly, have breakfast, drink your medicine, and then rest again..."
"Alright." Wang Miaomiao lay there a while longer, during which she only contemplated one thing—accept the situation as it comes.
Sitting up, she felt her mind was clear. It seemed the bump wasn’t severe, and she was no longer in distress.
She picked up the clothes at the bedside, a blue jacket that had been washed to a faded hue. The pants were army green, similarly washed and faded, with several patches on them.
She was wearing a white long-sleeve shirt, and when she put on the clothes and pants, they felt too straight and loose. The clothes didn’t fit at the waist, making them feel empty, and the pants were much larger at the waist. Seeing a cloth rope nearby, she took it up helplessly to tie them.
She suddenly remembered some old sayings: "Three years new, three years old, then mend and wear for another three years." Brothers wearing each other’s clothes—big ones altered to small as needed. It seemed that children from poor families in those times got by like this...
She didn’t know how many people had worn the clothes she was wearing before they reached her.
Leaving the room, she found her toothbrush, squeezed the Zhonghua-brand toothpaste, poured hot water into a white porcelain cup and added some cold water before going to the backyard garden to brush her teeth.
She was grateful to have her own toothbrush, although it was very old and she didn’t know how many years it hasn’t been replaced.
As she carefully cleaned her teeth, she surveyed the surroundings. The vegetables in the garden were growing well, organized neatly and tended with care. Some had just sprouted, while others were grown, vibrant green and ready to be harvested.
Wang Miaomiao was born in a rural village in her previous life but left as she grew up, rarely returning. She knew some things about the land, but more had been forgotten.
After starting work, she only wanted to work hard and climb upwards. Living alone, she only cooked noodles or frequently ordered delivery, as it offered convenience and variety for selection.
Against the eastern storage room was a row of chicken and pig pens and a woodshed, with one pig and six chickens.
It seemed this era regulated the number of livestock one could raise, not that she knew much history. This was within a world from the book, having slight differences from true history. She only hoped to observe and listen more, avoiding doing anything too outlandish.
"Miaomiao, hurry up, what are you dawdling for?"
"Oh, I’m coming."
They were urging from inside, and Wang Miaomiao sped up her actions.
The towels weren’t as fortunate; only two were hanging there shared by the entire family.
Wang Miaomiao endured the discomfort, choosing the relatively newer one, quickly washing her face.
Turning into the main room, a round mirror on the long table against the wall was fixed by a metal base, supported by short axles and screws on both sides allowing it to rotate. The reverse was a painting of magpies perching on plum blossoms, vivid and beautiful.
The girl in the mirror had fair skin, dark brows and big eyes, with red lips and white teeth, though the nose wasn’t graceful, plump and not tall. Yet her fair skin overshadowed all imperfections. Overall, she was a delicate and handsome young lady.
However, the wound on her left forehead was quite frightening, swollen in shades of green and purple with a scar the size of a fingernail.
Wang Miaomiao was somewhat distressed; the scar didn’t heal as per the original book, leaving a deep mark. Since then, Wang Miaomiao despised Wang Zhaodi, later scheming against her.
The pursuit of beauty is universal. Though she wouldn’t cause trouble for Wang Zhaodi now, finding a way to erase the scar remained crucial.
Using a broken-toothed wooden comb, she styled her hair as before, two petite braids draped over her chest. The bangs were all clipped atop her head with a black pin to keep hair from falling onto the wound, which might aggravate the infection.
The Eight Immortals table had a pot of vegetable porridge and a dish of pickles placed at the center. The breakfast was indeed meager, though it was likely decent for this era.
Actually, in the early seventies, villages probably still ate communal meals. The original book’s author emphasized Wang Zhaodi’s household grievances by detailing their meals. Good food, like eggs, meat, and white flour were never for her; she only had watery porridge with pickled vegetables and cornbread.
Thanks to the original author, otherwise imagining rushing to scramble for communal meals sends shivers, making the scenario hard to envision.
Everyone sat down enjoying their breakfast when Wang Zhaodi appeared timidly at the gate, peeking in with a pitiful, aggrieved expression.
Wang Baoxing felt slightly embarrassed seeing his eldest daughter’s timid demeanor, endured the cold glance from his wife, saying, "Zhaodi, come have breakfast, later you still need to go to work..."
"What’s there to eat? Missing since early morning, not knowing where she wandered off all night." Liu Yulan checked the woodshed early but didn’t see anyone, knowing this troublesome daughter was never peaceful.
Actually, Liu Yulan wasn’t inherently harsh.
In her youth, she was lively, cheerful, fashionable, and pretty. Raised in the city with two older brothers, she was the youngest, and tremendously loved.
Her father was a secondary school teacher, living in allocated quarters.
Growing up, conditions were rather decent. In the forties and fifties, her ability to graduate junior high as a girl was remarkable.
Yet, unpredictable fate struck—her father fell critically ill the year she graduated junior high. It was also that year that, for exorbitant medical costs, she hurriedly married Wang Baoxing, who had just lost his wife.
Back then, Wang Baoxing fancied the attractive and genial Liu Yulan. To marry her, he exhausted his savings and incurred huge debts.
Still, Liu Yulan’s father wasn’t saved. Her mother couldn’t bear the blows, passing away gloomily soon after.
In an instant, the Liu Family fell apart.
Entering into a new marriage, Liu Yulan had to look after a three-month-old child, becoming a stepmother.
Expecting decent conditions at Wang Family, they lived frugally due to debts from her marriage.
The mother-in-law, unhappy over bridal gifts, resented her, frequently picking faults.
Eventually, her sister-in-law demanded the family be split, leaving them with their share of debt. In her mother-in-law’s view, it was their problem—they ought to repay what they borrowed. Thereafter life grew more difficult, scraping by on bran and wild vegetables.
The consecutive deaths of her parents deeply traumatized her.
The originally cheerful, lively girl gradually turned into a disgruntled woman.
How could she not resent and harbor bitterness in her heart!