A Delicate Beauty of the 70s Teasing the Cold Faced Educated Youth Until His Heart Trembles

Yu Nian'an, a modern woman, transmigrates into the body of a minor character in a novel she had previously criticized. She wakes up in the 1970s in the Yu Family Brigade, a rural setting during the educated youth movement. The original owner of this body was an orphan whose parents died in a river embankment accident. The production brigade paid a compensation of one hundred and eighty yuan to hush up the incident. However, the original Yu Nian'an was naive and had been manipulated by her cousin, Yu Dingguo, into giving him nearly two hundred yuan through various scams and loans. When the protagonist arrives, only seventy yuan remains. She realizes she is a disposable character destined to be ruined by rumors and driven to suicide by a scumbag, after which her house would be sold to the female lead of the novel, Lin Zhi. Determined to survive, she resolves to reclaim her money and avoid the main plot entirely.

Yu Nian'an confronts Yu Dingguo with a stern ultimatum, threatening to report him for hooliganism if he does not return the money within three days. The threat of severe punishment in that era forces him to comply. That night, Yu Dingguo attempts to break into her home, likely with malicious intent, but Yu Nian'an catches him and subdues him with a brick. She ties him up and extracts a written IOU before releasing him. With the money recovered, she begins planning the renovation of her dilapidated courtyard. She hires Uncle Jianping and his family to rebuild the walls, move the toilet, and dig a well, ensuring her living conditions improve. Her proactive and capable behavior surprises the villagers, who are accustomed to the original owner's timid nature. She also encounters Gu Shen, a handsome but frail educated youth, whom she saves from drowning in a river. This act creates an unexpected connection between them.

The narrative shifts as a new batch of educated youths arrives, including the novel's protagonists, Lin Zhi and Ye Xiao, as well as Gu Shen. Yu Nian'an is assigned to guide Gu Shen in the fields. Despite her initial desire to stay away from the main characters, circumstances force her into proximity with them. She helps Lin Zhi secure a place to live and assists Gu Shen with ration coupons when he lends them to her for shopping in the county town. The group travels together to the market, where Yu Nian'an buys essential supplies and observes the local economy. She discovers that a local food factory is producing high-quality biscuits that fail to sell due to their high price. This observation sparks an idea for a business opportunity, hinting at her intention to use her modern knowledge to improve her livelihood.

As Yu Nian'an settles into her renovated home, she navigates the complex social dynamics of the brigade. She deflects gossip and matchmaking attempts from villagers like Liu Guihua with sharp wit. Meanwhile, the original plot begins to unfold around Lin Zhi and Ye Xiao, but Yu Nian'an remains an observer, focusing on her own survival and economic advancement. The story establishes her as a resilient and intelligent woman who refuses to be a victim of fate. Her interactions with Gu Shen evolve from awkward encounters to a budding mutual respect, while her relationship with Lin Zhi becomes one of cautious alliance. The narrative sets the stage for Yu Nian'an to carve out her own path, distinct from the tragic fate of the original character, by leveraging her wits and the opportunities present in the changing times.