The Cannon-Fodder Third Sister-in-Law in a Period Novel [The 1960s]

[The blurb for my next book, "Second-Generation Transmigrator Gets Rich from Demolition in the 1990s", is below. If you’re interested, feel free to add it to your favorites.]

Cheng Jinning looked at the sumptuous breakfast before her and sighed inwardly. She raised her eyes to the person across from her: her younger brother-in-law, the male lead of a novel and the future richest man in the country.

But that was nothing to be happy about, because seated to her right, in order, were her husband, who would die young; her sister-in-law, who would drown herself in a river; and her second brother-in-law and his wife, who would cut ties with the family.

On her left, her eldest sister-in-law was fine, but her eldest brother-in-law, who was in the military, would be gravely injured and disabled on a mission, spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Then there were her father- and mother-in-law, who would be reported and sent away to the countryside, where they would die far from home.

As for Cheng Jinning herself, she would be unable to bear the blows and go insane.

Cheng Jinning: “...”

The living dead, with everything going wrong from the start.

*

Cheng Jinning was an obscure online writer who could barely support herself. Who could have guessed that she would open the door to collect a food delivery and, with one step, be reborn in another world, her memories gradually fading away?

It was only on her wedding night, when memories of her past life awakened, that she learned she had transmigrated into a male-oriented period novel she had once skimmed, becoming the male lead’s third sister-in-law, the one who would go insane.

After finally finding family who loved her again, and finally building a home with the person she loved, how could Cheng Jinning accept becoming a cannon-fodder character? She rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

Grandma was going to die in an accident? She tracked down the culprit.

Her sister was going to miscarry and bleed to death after taking the blame for someone else? She made sure the real culprit got the firing squad.

Her husband’s family was going to be reported and sent away to the countryside? She made the informant suffer the consequences.

Years later, Cheng Jinning looked back and saw all the family she loved by her side, along with a younger brother-in-law hoping to cling to her coattails.

Reader’s Notes:

1. This story is set in a fictional world and has no connection to reality.

2. A slice-of-life story about everyday family matters. It’s a slow burn, with no angst, and the younger brother-in-law has only a small role.

3. The male and female leads are imperfect, each with their own flaws.

Next book: "Second-Generation Transmigrator Gets Rich from Demolition in the 1990s"

Also known as *The Happy Everyday Life of a Second-Generation Transmigrator and Her Parents, Who Came from the Apocalypse and Got Rich from Demolition*

Everyone said Zhao Family Village was going to be demolished. The rumor went around for five years before the news finally came.

The good news: Demolition was coming.

The bad news: It was Chengxing Village next door that was being demolished.

Zhao Family Village fell silent. Chengxing Village erupted with excitement.

Demolition! We’re rich!

*

When Cheng Jin’an learned her family’s home was going to be demolished, she wasn’t thrilled; she was just confused. Could someone tell her what the golden character “Auspicious” hovering before her eyes was supposed to mean? Colorful streamers were floating down from it, accompanied by the sound of jingle bells.

Even more terrifying, she was the only one who could see or hear it.

Cheng Jin’an screamed and rushed home to find her mother.

“Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, I’ve gone crazy!”

Her mother beamed with satisfaction. “After twenty-one years, you’ve finally awakened your ability.”

Cheng Jin’an: “Huh?”

Her father was thrilled. “Sweetheart, you’re so gifted! You awakened an ability even though you’re not in the apocalypse!”

Cheng Jin’an: “Huh??”

An ability? The apocalypse?

The good news: She probably wasn’t crazy.

The bad news: Her parents had issues, and she was one of those second-generation transmigrators!

*

Before the demolition news arrived, Cheng Jin’an had just gone through her company shutting down, been unable to pay rent, and gotten kicked out of her rental. Her future looked bleak.

After the demolition news arrived, Cheng Jin’an promptly went home and began the ultimate lie-flat life.

A life of lying flat needed no explanation: eat snacks, watch the show, sip tea, and use her ability to dodge trouble.

The neighbor uncle was divorcing for love? She watched the spectacle with a cup of tea in hand!

An old lady had been scammed out of a million yuan? She munched on duck neck and congratulated herself on using her ability to avoid a huge pitfall.

Her distant cousin had gambled away the entire demolition payout in a fit of desperation? With the character “Ill Fortune” looming over him, she waved a popsicle and shouted, “Back off, back off, back off!”

Someone was here to pay the rent on an entire building? Oh, oh, come on in!

Life spent collecting rent and watching the drama was already wonderful, but Cheng Jin’an never imagined it could get even better. Without her realizing it, the dream she had given up on had actually come true!

She twisted open a bottle of ice-cold cola and listened to the fizzing bubbles pop. She had just one word to say:

“Awesome!”

Theme: Building a beautiful and harmonious home together.