1970s: On the Seventh Night After My Husband's Death, I Dreamed of His Superior

Miao Miaomiao transmigrates into the body of a widow in rural China, waking up at her deceased husband's memorial. Her husband, Shen Jianhui, died in an explosion during a military mission, leaving her with no memory of his face. The original host died of grief, and Miaomiao must navigate a hostile environment where her mother-in-law, Qin Dafen, and siblings-in-law have already stolen the husband's death benefits. For seven nights, she suffers from vivid dreams involving a mysterious man, setting a supernatural undertone to her new reality.

On her seventh night of vigil, Miaomiao overhears her mother-in-law plotting to drug her and sell her to a village thug, Lu the Third, to collect a bride price. Using quick thinking, she soaks a cloth in tea to neutralize the aphrodisiac smoke and knocks out Lu when he enters her room. Dizzy from the fumes, she jumps into a nearby pond to wash off the effects but nearly drowns. She is rescued by Huo Qichuan, a regimental commander and comrade of her late husband, who is passing through the village on a mission. The Shen family discovers them and attempts to claim Miaomiao, but Huo Qichuan refuses to hand her over, exposing their plot.

To protect Miaomiao and resolve the immediate threat, Huo Qichuan agrees to a fake marriage, offering two hundred yuan as bride price. The Shen family, greedy for money, accepts the deal but secretly plots to swap Miaomiao with the younger sister, Shen Cuiping, on the wedding day. Miaomiao, however, anticipates their schemes and contacts her natal family. Her mother, Zhang Cuiying, arrives aggressively, demanding the return of her daughter. A confrontation ensues where the Shen family demands three hundred yuan for Miaomiao's release, citing food, housing, and emotional damages.

Miaomiao outsmarts the Shen family by revealing that Huo Qichuan's contact number is invalid, proving the marriage offer was a ruse. With the bride price gone, the Shen family loses interest, and Miaomiao negotiates her freedom by returning the original one hundred yuan bride price. Her father, moved by her desperation, borrows the money from his brother to redeem her. After escaping the Shen household, Miaomiao returns to her natal home in Green Water Village, only to find her mother cold and indifferent, caring more about the lost money than her daughter's well-being.

Despite the family's neglect, Miaomiao focuses on survival and financial independence. She discovers a talent for cooking, specifically preparing bamboo fungus, a delicacy unknown to the locals who fear it is poisonous. Her soup gains popularity, and she begins selling dried mushrooms through a network involving a neighbor's grandson, Huzi. Her success attracts the attention of her third sister, Miao Qingqing, who harbors deep resentment due to a past-life rivalry. Qingqing reports Miaomiao to the authorities for speculation and profiteering, leading to a nighttime arrest attempt.

Miaomiao avoids arrest by switching the contents of her sack to ordinary leaves, exposing Qingqing's false accusation. She successfully pressures the authorities to make Qingqing compensate Huzi for the distress caused. The incident strengthens Miaomiao's resolve to leave the village and move to the city. She attempts to contact Huo Qichuan to update him on her new address, but he denies knowing her, leaving her confused and emotionally unsettled. The story concludes with Miaomiao determined to build a new life, unaware that her dreams of the mysterious man are connected to Huo Qichuan, and that her sister Qingqing remains a lurking threat.