The corridors of the staff quarters of the Third State-owned Cotton Mill were filled with smoke and the smell of coal fumes was pungent.

Jiang Yumei brought in the food, and Tang Wenya immediately got up to take it, saying with a smile, "Mom, you rest, I'll go get the bowls and chopsticks."

"Ya Ya is so considerate." Jiang Yumei glanced at Xu Qingning sitting at the dining table and said indifferently, "Qingning, you will also have to do these housework from now on."

Xu Qingning is such a grown woman, yet she has absolutely no sense of propriety.

However, as a stepmother, she couldn't very well order her around, lest others accuse her of mistreating her stepdaughter.

“That’s right. My mom works all day and then has to cook when she gets home. It’s so hard for her. It’s only right that we help her carry the dishes.” Tang Wenya’s face was full of disdain as she also scolded Xu Qingning, “Qingning, you should understand how hard your parents work.”

"Didn't Auntie go to work and cook before she married into the family?" Xu Qingning retorted instinctively. "If Auntie and my sister like being nannies, then so be it. I have no objection."

"Xu Qingning, you're just making excuses..." Tang Wenya's face turned red with anger. She wanted to say something more, but Jiang Yumei stopped her, her eyes red, and said, "Ya Ya, don't say anything. I'll do it from now on."

The aroma of scallions wafted from the dinner table, causing Xu Qingning's chest to churn and making her feel nauseous. Everything in front of her seemed unfamiliar. What was going on?

The peeling paint on the wooden door and the calendar hanging on the wall covered with newspapers served as a stark reminder that it was May 1, 1978, Labor Day.

Meeting Tang Wenya's gaze, Xu Qingning immediately realized that she had transmigrated into the world of a historical novel she had just read, becoming the cannon fodder female supporting character Xu Qingning in the book's control group.

The female lead is Tang Wenya, the stepsister who married into the family with her stepmother.

She is a seductive supporting character who is always at odds with Tang Wenya. She is deeply in love with the male lead, Xiao Ting, but cannot have him and tries to sleep with him. However, by accident, she ends up having a relationship with someone and becomes pregnant. In a panic, she goes to the clinic for an abortion.

As a result of the poor conditions at the health center, she developed an infection after the surgery and had a high fever for three days and three nights. She barely survived, but her uterus was removed.

Xu Qingning blamed everything on Tang Wenya and went on a rampage of revenge, but was repeatedly suppressed by Tang Wenya's protagonist aura, which led to Xiao Tingshen's repeated heroic rescues. Before the story was even halfway through, she went insane and died.

...

The plot is so cheesy and makes you lose your mind.

One second she was complaining, the next she was playing the cannon fodder supporting character Xu Qingning, who shared the same name.

Why didn't you put it on sooner? Judging by the timeline, she should be pregnant by now.

Xu Qingning sighed, her gaze falling on the old-fashioned plastic mirror hanging on the wall. Her oval face and captivating peach blossom eyes were alluring and seductive, making her look utterly frivolous.

She stared intently at herself in the mirror. With such a beautiful face, why did she have to chase after the male lead?

Xu Jianguo came out of the bedroom and began to advance the plot: "Qingning, the policy on sending people to the countryside has been relaxed. After you go to the countryside, I will get you a place in school within six months at most, and you will be back soon."

"That's good." Jiang Yumei didn't even look up. She picked a piece of lean meat from a plate of potatoes and put it into Tang Wenya's bowl. "Wenya has always been frail and couldn't stand the rural environment. So Qingning had to go instead."

“There’s nothing to be upset about. Qingning won’t be gone for more than a few months. She’ll be back soon.” Xu Jianguo sat down at the table and ate his meal. “I’ve heard that some of the educated youth came back in less than six months.”

Tang Wenya is gentle, sensible, and well-behaved. Xu Qingning was spoiled and arrogant by his mother and always bullied Wenya, which made his relationship with Jiang Yumei very tense.

It wasn't easy for Jiang Yumei, a widow with a daughter, to marry into the family.

It would be good to let Xu Qingning go to the countryside to temper her temperament.

"Dad, I'm pregnant, I can't go to the countryside." Xu Qingning certainly wouldn't follow the plot in the book; she wasn't going to suffer that hardship.

"What?" Xu Jianguo couldn't believe his ears, a surge of anger rising in his heart. "I told you, I would find a way to bring you back as soon as possible. What are you doing?"

“Qingning, you can’t joke about something like this. The educated youth office has your sister’s medical records on file, so our family can only send you to the countryside.” Jiang Yumei looked at her with a slightly surprised expression. “Your dad said he would find a way to transfer you back.”

“If you don’t believe me, come with me to the health center for a checkup.” Xu Qingning knew the couple’s personas, her beautiful peach blossom eyes sparkling with mischief. “It’s fine if you don’t go, the educated youth office will also conduct unified physical examinations anyway.”

This couple consists of a sullen and short-tempered man who cares a lot about his image, and a scheming and manipulative woman who loves to perform.

See through the phenomena to the essence.

One was simply to display the authority of the head of the family, while the other was to compare her to her own daughter, Tang Wenya.

Tang Wenya frowned slightly.

She is the female protagonist of this book, and she has an awakened system that allows her to know how the plot will unfold.

However, the current plot is different from what she knew, so how could Xu Qingning dare to reveal that she was pregnant...

"You shameless bastard!" Xu Jianguo's face contorted with rage as he roared, "Who is that wild man?"

"Dad, you should ask your good daughter Tang Wenya about this. She knows the most about it." Xu Qingning said calmly. With a stepmother comes a stepfather, and there are no good people in this family.

The original owner was indeed drunk and wanted to force herself on the male lead, but she didn't even get to touch his hand before Tang Wenya casually shoved her into the room of some thug next door and went into the male lead's room herself, creating a scene of entering the wrong room.

While the original owner was indeed foolish and wicked, Tang Wenya was no better.

"Oh, right." Xu Qingning calmly dropped another bombshell, "My sister is pregnant too. Could you give me some more money so I can go with her to get checked out?"

"Qingning, what nonsense are you talking about?" Tang Wenya was caught off guard and flustered. "How could you say such a thing..."

This month, her delayed period was already enough to drive her crazy.

This matter must be kept a secret no matter what. Apart from Xiao Tingshen and Jiang Yumei, no one else can know, including Xu Jianguo and Xu Qingning.

"Qingning, if you don't want to go to the countryside, just say so. Why do you have to slander your sister?" Jiang Yumei saw that Tang Wenya's expression was not right and quickly changed the subject. "At this point, it doesn't matter whose child it is. I'll take you to the health center to find your Aunt Lin right now. Get the child aborted as soon as possible. It's not too late to go to the countryside after you've recovered."

"Auntie, is Aunt Lin reliable? What if she tells everyone I'm pregnant?"

According to the plot of the book, it won't be long before the news of her premarital pregnancy spreads throughout the entire residential compound.

Tang Wenya kept it a secret, deliberately letting Xiao Tingshen know about it, but she acted as if she didn't want to force him, which made Xiao Tingshen feel sorry for her. Within two days, he wanted to come and propose marriage to her and take full responsibility.

Although the two later insisted that the pregnancy happened after their marriage, if you calculate the timeline, Tang Wenya conceived that very night.

"Of course your Aunt Lin won't tell anyone." Jiang Yumei paused for a moment, then continued, "You're a young girl, and you're pregnant. If you don't get rid of the pregnancy quickly, how will you get married in the future? Do you really expect any man to marry you?"

“Okay, then I’ll do whatever Auntie says. We’ll go after we finish eating.” Xu Qingning nodded, looking innocent. “I’ve only told my family about the pregnancy. No one knows except Aunt Lin. You’re all my family, so you definitely won’t tell outsiders. Since you vouched for Aunt Lin, I believe you.”

Jiang Yumei's expression stiffened. How come that brat has become so cunning now?

She wanted to make a big fuss about it so the whole residential compound would know, and if rumors started circulating, Xu Qingning could forget about ever returning to the city.

Now look what's happened. Because of that brat's outburst, any half-sentence outside will be attributed to Jiang Yumei.

Jiang Yumei reluctantly tried to salvage the situation: "You can't say that... By the way, your Aunt Lin told me last time that she's going to the provincial capital for training with the health center, but she's too busy lately. Why don't you go by yourself? We'll trust you if you find someone yourself."

“Okay.” Xu Qingning asked Xu Jianguo for money directly. “Dad, give me fifty yuan. I’ll solve this myself. You don’t need to worry about it.”

"You've done such a shameful thing, and you still have the nerve to ask me for money? And you dare ask for fifty yuan?" Xu Jianguo gritted his teeth in anger, slamming his fist on the table. "Get out of here! I don't have a daughter like you!"

He and Jiang Yumei's combined monthly salary was less than fifty yuan.

She's asking for an exorbitant amount; she's deliberately trying to infuriate him.

Xu Qingning looked at him coolly: "An abortion doesn't cost fifty, but you'll need money for hush money, right? And money for nutrition, right? I still need to take care of my health, otherwise I won't be able to make it to the countryside."

"It's fine if you don't want to give it to her. Since my sister isn't pregnant, we can let her go when the time comes. Her checkup will definitely be fine."

Seeing that the fire had spread to her again, Tang Wenya quickly tried to persuade her, "Dad, Qingning is still young, and she needs to take good care of her health so that she doesn't develop any health problems. But you and Mom work so hard to earn money, so I'll try to find a way to raise the money for Qingning. I still have some jewelry that my grandmother left me before she passed away. I'll pawn it this afternoon, and I should be able to raise enough money."

“Ya Ya, how can this be?” Jiang Yumei frowned. “This is what your grandmother left for your dowry.”

"It's alright, Mom, Qingning's matter is more important." Tang Wenya's understanding and reasonable persona was on full display. "I don't want to see Dad and Qingning fall out over this fifty yuan."

Jiang Yumei and Tang Wenya acted out a back-and-forth performance, while Xu Qingning sat quietly eating and watching the show.

Finally, Xu Jianguo gritted his teeth, went into the room, pulled out a few bills, and slammed them on the table: "Take the money and get out of here!"

"Okay, thank you, Dad!" Xu Qingning finished the last bite of rice in her bowl, then slammed the door and left.

After leaving the state-owned cotton mill's residential compound, Xu Qingning did not go to the health center. Instead, based on her memory, she entered the large courtyard of the neighboring Oriental Ocean Company and found the employees' dormitory.

A group of young men were gathered in the dormitory, wearing white overalls and playing cards noisily, while a few others were smoking.

Xu Qingning moved away from the area without smoke, her gaze sweeping over them before settling on the man diagonally opposite her.

Unlike the noise of the others, the man was rolling up his sleeves, drawing and arranging his cards. It was getting hot, and he had unbuttoned a few buttons on his white polyester shirt. From Xu Qingning's angle, his well-defined chest muscles were clearly visible.

Xu Qingning silently repeated the rule of "don't look at what is improper" to herself, trying hard to recall the description of this person in the book.

"Hey, do you want it? Don't deduct my card, hurry up!"

"You think you can just run away? You're dreaming about getting married, you're just daydreaming! You're going to kill me, you idiot!"

The room was filled with noise.

"Zhao Jingyu, come out here for a moment, I need to talk to you." Xu Qingning stood at the door looking at the man in the swirling smoke.

The original owner didn't know who the man was that night, but she did.

She watched until the very end.

"What is it?" Zhao Jingyu glanced up at her, then continued playing cards, saying expressionlessly, "There are no outsiders here, so let's talk here."

Everyone turned to look at Xu Qingning, but remained silent.

They knew Xu Qingning, Tang Wenya's stepsister, who also liked Xiao Tingshen and often came to the tenement to see him.

Xu Qingning knew perfectly well that Xiao Tingshen and Tang Wenya were dating, yet she shamelessly interfered, showing no shame whatsoever.

"I'm pregnant." Xu Qingning couldn't see his face clearly, and she cleared her throat as she said, "It's yours."

"Mine?" Zhao Jingyu paused for a moment, holding the playing cards, then smiled, a lazy smile on his face. "Okay, then give birth to it and send it to me. I happen to need a son."

Everyone burst into laughter.