The Beautiful, Rich Woman of the 1970s

The next book in the series, Raising Kids by Agreement in a Reconstituted Family in the 1960s, is already over a hundred thousand words long. Please add it to your collection! Its blurb is below.

Blurb:

Lin Jiangran is the prettiest girl in the whole residential compound. Her skin is so fair it seems to glow, and her eyes are big and bright. Her parents are both professors, and she lives in a lovely apartment reserved for experts. She's the quintessential rich, beautiful young lady.

But what good is that? Her parents have been taken away by the Red Guards, their home is about to be confiscated, and she has nowhere to go. At a matchmaking event, she meets Gu Xiangchong, who isn't married yet. Gathering her courage, she says, "Big brother, I'm here for a match, too. Would you like to see if we're a good fit?"

Gu Xiangchong asks her, "I'm not from here. Before coming today, I was transferred back to my home commune to serve as the head of the public security team. I live in a tiled house in the countryside. You're a city girl. Can you accept my circumstances?"

Lin Jiangran agrees. "As long as you have a place for me to live and food to put on the table, I'm willing to go back with you!"

She leaves the city to marry into the countryside. Gu Xiangchong's home village, Dahe Village, is pretty nice. There's a river full of fish and shrimp, and hills full of fruit. Though life is hard, the neighbors are kind and help one another, and her husband is a strong man...

Lin Jiangran has a good attitude. A woman marries to have a husband who provides for her, and she's willing to build a good life with Gu Xiangchong. But Brother Gu is busy with so many things and often doesn't come home, so she makes him delicious food, snuggles up to him on cold nights, and makes him want to come home as soon as it gets dark. She makes their life together warm and happy.

Later, the college entrance exams are reinstated, and Lin Jiangran gets into a university in the city. Her parents are also released and can reunite with her. She brings Gu Xiangchong to meet them. "Mom, Dad, I'm married. This is your son-in-law!"

Her parents are delighted at first. But when they see Gu Xiangchong's face, their eyes widen in shock. They ask Lin Jiangran, "Daughter, do you know who you've married?"

Blurb for Raising Kids by Agreement in a Reconstituted Family in the 1960s:

In 1967, just-turned-nineteen-year-old Jiang Yin is widowed. She passes by Zhou Chengfeng, who is raising two children, without a word.

On the same day, Zhou Chengfeng has just divorced. He was injured on the job and his leg is crippled. With two children to raise, he has no idea how they'll manage.

Jiang Yin supports her two children with her medical skills, but is framed and imprisoned for several months. When she gets out, one child has died of illness, and she herself has been worn down by sickness.

Later, she returns to the city and becomes a doctor. Through an introduction, she remarries Zhou Chengfeng, who is also raising two children.

Both have suffered greatly, so they understand one another and join forces to get by.

Zhou Chengfeng uses all his strength to give her a few good years.

All three children are talented, but fate insists on putting them through hardships. The eldest is clever and studious, and gets into Qing University, only for someone to change his application. During the year he repeats his studies, someone stabs him and leaves him badly injured.

The third and fourth children are smart and quick-witted. They make a lot of money right after Reform and Opening Up begins, only to be singled out and imprisoned for several years.

By the time they're released, the country has opened up and people can do business freely, but the third and fourth children have lost their drive.

The second child is an even greater source of pain for Jiang Yin. During the months she was imprisoned, he died of illness and hunger.

A few years later, Jiang Yin is dying. She sighs to Zhou Chengfeng, "If I'd known the college entrance exams would return in 1977 and business would be allowed in 1979, we should have eaten and drunk well and raised the children properly during those ten years."

When she opens her eyes, Jiang Yin is back in 1967. Her body is healthy, and Zhou Chengfeng has just divorced and hasn't been crippled yet.

Jiang Yin won't wait this time. She won't waste ten years going around in circles and missing him. She'll find Zhou Chengfeng and remarry him now, then raise all four children properly.

Theme: Be self-reliant and strong, work together, and build a better future