After the Female Side Character in a Northern Song Dynasty Slice-of-Life Novel Awakens

The day her cousin came to ask her to open a street-food stall together, Lin Qingzhi awakened to the truth: she was just a stepping stone for her cousin.

They opened a street-food stall together. She did the work, while her cousin made the money.

She was tricked into losing her virginity and forced to marry a laborer at a food shop. She worked herself to the bone, while her cousin made the money.

After years of painstaking effort, their little stall became a grand restaurant. Then she was kicked out, while her cousin made the money.

Her childhood sweetheart and fiance, Chu Zheng, was also reported dead after her cousin plotted against him.

Lin Qingzhi has three wishes: first, for her cousin to get what she deserves; second, to protect herself and Chu Zheng; and third, to make money! Make money!! Make money!!!

Rejecting her cousin's offer, Lin Qingzhi sets up a little food stall at the busy, bustling docks. She serves a few kinds of noodles topped with zhajiang, peas, or pork-and-pea sauce. The soup boils, and customers keep coming and going.

As she counts her coins, she thinks about replacing the leaky thatched roof, sending her younger brother to school, and saving enough to rent a shop someday...

However, her cousin Lin Yueying sets up a stall right across from hers. Today she serves malatang, tomorrow sizzling-plate barbecue. She has plenty of new ideas, and it's obvious she's trying to steal Lin Qingzhi's customers.

Lin Yueying is smug. Does this local girl really think she can compete with her?

Lin Yueying transmigrated into a story about ordinary people. The heroine, Lin Qingzhi, made her fortune by setting up a little food stall at the ferry crossing. Lin Yueying became the cousin who trailed behind the heroine and scavenged her leftovers, one of those hangers-on who benefited when their benefactor succeeded.

What's the point of riding the heroine's coattails? All she would get was a tiny bit slipping through the heroine's fingers. Lin Yueying didn't want to be a hanger-on. She wanted to be the one who succeeded, using the heroine's momentum to rise.

Lin Qingzhi rejected her suggestion that they open a stall together, so Lin Yueying rolled up her sleeves and went into business on her own.

But

Her grand opening drew customers to Lin Qingzhi's stall.

Her marketing campaign made Lin Qingzhi famous.

Everything she worked so hard on ended up benefiting Lin Qingzhi. She could only watch as Lin's little stall grew into a grand restaurant, then expanded all the way to Bianjing.

Chu Zheng, whom she had thought would die far away, returned safe and sound, and even became an official.

Lin Qingzhi and Chu Zheng went from childhood sweethearts to young husband and wife, living happily together.

Meanwhile, all Lin Yueying's schemes failed. She was left alone, destitute and impoverished.

Lin Yueying: ??? This isn't how the story was supposed to go!

Completed works: "Transmigrated into the Exile Novel's Foil," "My Years as a Father in Ancient Times," "Collecting Rent and Taking It Easy in Ancient Times," and "Transmigrated as the Powerful Male Supporting Character's Darling Wife." Check the author's page for more.

Theme: Only by keeping your feet on the ground can you go far and steady.