The Villain's Little Sister [The 1970s]

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The period novel Years tells the story of a young educated couple who overcome hardship to return to the city, build successful careers amid China's reform and opening up, and eventually find their way to each other.

Meng Qiuyun transmigrates into a supporting character with the same name as her, then realizes... oh, the original character's family is the biggest obstacle in the leads' lives.

The original character has an unrequited crush on the male lead. After catching him confessing his love to the female lead, she jumps into a river in despair. The male lead kindly saves her, but she takes the opportunity to cling to him and forces him to get engaged to her.

Her eldest brother will break the male lead's leg.

Her eldest sister-in-law will make sure the female lead can't get into college.

Her second older sister will nearly land the leads in prison, where they'll face the firing squad.

Meng Qiuyun: ...So my whole family are villains.

But they all dote on her.

Villains never get a happy ending, so Meng Qiuyun decides to lead her family far away from the male and female leads.

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Meng Qiuyun repeatedly denies that she likes the male lead.

Eldest Brother Meng: My little sister feels inferior. I need to give her better opportunities.

And so, her eldest brother becomes a commune leader.

Meng Qiuyun gets back the money she lent the leads and is so happy she grins all day.

Second Sister Meng: My little sister is putting on a brave face. I need to be there for her.

And so, her second older sister becomes a teacher in the county.

Before long, her eldest brother and second sister discover that their pitiful little sister, once she sweeps back her bangs and takes off her glasses, is a beauty without equal for miles around. And when they see her selling pickled vegetables and canning fruit, opening shops and setting up factories, they realize there's nothing she can't do!

Without the Meng family's financial support, the male lead falls and breaks his leg while gathering medicinal herbs in the mountains. The female lead takes the college entrance exam on schedule, but she's a poor student and doesn't get in. By the time the two of them finally make it back to the city after all their struggles, the Meng family already has houses, cars, land, and a huge factory!

Theme: Build a good life through hard work and ingenuity.