Era: Returning Home After Retiring From The Army

Luo Cheng, a technical school graduate from the 2000s, wakes up on a train to find himself in 1961 Yian City. He has been transported back in time, and his identity has shifted from a student to a recently discharged army communication soldier. Confused by the sudden change in era, he discovers that the world lacks modern conveniences, with severe food shortages and a rigid rationing system. Despite his disorientation, Luo Cheng possesses a mysterious sign-in system that appeared in his mind, allowing him to retrieve items from a modern train snack package, including instant noodles, peanuts, and mineral water. Armed with a discharge allowance, ration coupons, and a recommendation letter, he attempts to navigate this harsh new reality while trying to understand his altered past.

Upon arriving at the train station, Luo Cheng struggles with hunger and the unfamiliar environment. He uses the system to retrieve eight-treasure congee, an act observed by starving children who view his discarded can as a treasure. Heading home via bus, he encounters Qin Xiaoli and her cousin Qin Lan, who ask for his protection due to the dangers posed by refugees fleeing northern droughts. Luo Cheng agrees to escort Qin Lan home, a journey that highlights the physical weakness of his modern body compared to the hardened locals. During the trip, he shares instant noodles with Qin Lan, introducing her to flavors and textures that are unimaginable in this era of scarcity. The aroma of the noodles eventually reaches Qin Lan's village, where her family cooks them, creating a scent that draws the attention of neighbors and underscores the extreme deprivation of the time.

Luo Cheng returns to his rural home, a modest mud-brick house shared with his parents, grandmother, two younger sisters, and a younger brother. The family dynamic is drastically different from his previous life as an only child. His mother, Wang Ling, and grandmother are frail from malnutrition, a stark contrast to their healthier counterparts in his original timeline. The family is immediately concerned about the food Luo Cheng brings, particularly the white steamed buns from the army. His sisters, Luo Xiaoyu and Luo Shishi, are fascinated by the peanuts he gives them, experiencing flavors that are alien to their diet. The household operates on a strict economy of survival, where every grain is accounted for and shared among extended family members to maintain social bonds and ensure collective survival.

The core conflict revolves around Luo Cheng's need to secure a livelihood and support his enlarged family in a time of famine. His father, Luo Wen, and grandmother discuss how to distribute the grain coupons and buns, balancing the needs of their immediate family with obligations to relatives. Luo Cheng plans to use his recommendation letter to secure a job, likely as a mechanic or driver, which would provide access to commercial grain and stability. He also intends to explore the limits of his sign-in system, hoping it will provide more substantial rewards beyond snacks. The narrative follows his integration into this 1960s rural life, highlighting the challenges of adapting to a pre-modern existence while leveraging his future knowledge and the mysterious system to improve his family's fortunes.

As Luo Cheng settles in, he navigates the social intricacies of village life, from fetching water with his sisters to interacting with neighbors and extended family. The story emphasizes the daily struggle for food, the importance of ration coupons, and the physical toll of malnutrition. Luo Cheng's return brings a sense of hope and authority to the household, as he is viewed as the educated eldest son who can secure a better future. The narrative sets the stage for his efforts to establish himself in this new world, using his military credentials and system rewards to overcome the immediate threats of hunger and poverty while adjusting to the responsibilities of being the head of a large, struggling family.