Leading the Family to Prosperity After the Engagement Was Broken

Lin Yuhe, a successful CEO in the modern world, dies in a car accident caused by brake failure after confronting her father’s illegitimate daughter, Lin Yue, about embezzlement. She awakens in the body of an eleven-year-old girl with the same name in a fictional ancient village called Lianhua Gou. The original host had jumped into a river in despair after her childhood engagement to Zhang Yuqing was broken off. The new Lin Yuhe must navigate life in a poor, hardworking family while hiding her true identity and modern knowledge.

The Lin family is extremely poor, living hand-to-mouth on wild vegetables and corn porridge. Despite their poverty, they dote on Lin Yuhe. Her father, Lin Hai, is a honest farmer; her mother, Bai Haitang, is gentle and weeps easily. Her grandparents, especially Grandma Lin, are sharp-tongued but deeply loving. She has an older brother, Lin Changfu, who works as a server, and twin younger brothers, Lin Changping and Lin Chang’an, who sell firewood to help the family. Her uncle, Lin Fan, is an itinerant peddler who supports the household. The family had spent five taels of silver to retrieve Lin Yuhe’s engagement certificate, the Gengtie, from the Zhang family, who demanded an exorbitant sum to return it.

Lin Yuhe observes the family’s dynamics and begins to integrate, realizing their genuine care for her contrasts with the betrayal she suffered in her previous life. She notices the economic struggles and decides to use her modern culinary skills to improve their situation. When Uncle Lin returns from town with expensive candy, Lin Yuhe offers to make it herself at a lower cost, proposing a business partnership. She refines the brown sugar into white sugar and creates various candies, including sesame and peanut varieties, which taste superior to store-bought ones.

The family tests the candy business. Uncle Lin attempts to sell to a local pastry shop, Caoji Pastry, but the shopkeeper recognizes the quality and refuses to buy, likely intending to steal the recipe. Uncle Lin then sells directly to villagers and in the market, while the twin brothers sell retail candy in a nearby town, earning fifty-four copper coins. The success boosts the family’s morale and provides much-needed income. Lin Yuhe also discovers that field snails and lotus roots, considered useless by the villagers, are edible and nutritious. She guides her father and grandfather to harvest them secretly, avoiding gossip from a nosy neighbor, Old Lady Chen.

The harvest leads to a confrontation when Old Lady Chen spies on the Lin family. Grandma Lin throws muddy water on her, sparking a physical altercation that draws the village chief. The chief mediates, and the dispute is settled, though tensions with the Chen family remain. Lin Yuhe continues to plan for the family’s prosperity, aiming to earn enough money to send her brothers to school and secure a better future. She balances her role as a young girl with her adult mindset, carefully introducing changes without revealing her true origins. The story follows her efforts to build a business, protect her family from exploitation, and thrive in this new world.

As the narrative progresses, Lin Yuhe expands her business ventures beyond candy. She leverages her knowledge of food preservation and preparation to create products that can be sold at higher margins. The family works together, with Uncle Lin handling sales and the brothers assisting in production and distribution. Lin Yuhe also focuses on educating her brothers, recognizing the value of literacy and skills for their future. She maintains a low profile regarding her past life, attributing her knowledge to dreams or intuition. The Lin family’s social standing begins to improve as their income increases, allowing them to save for emergencies and invest in better farming tools. Lin Yuhe’s strategic thinking helps them avoid pitfalls, such as the Zhang family’s greed and the Chen family’s malice. The story highlights the importance of family unity and resourcefulness in overcoming poverty.

Lin Yuhe’s relationship with her family deepens as she becomes more involved in their daily lives. She supports her mother through emotional challenges and helps her father with farming techniques. The bond with her brothers strengthens as they share in the family’s successes. Lin Yuhe also navigates village politics, using her wits to defuse conflicts and build alliances. She encounters various characters, including neighbors, merchants, and local officials, each presenting unique challenges and opportunities. Her modern perspective allows her to see solutions that others miss, such as diversifying income sources and improving product quality. The story continues to follow her journey as she transforms the Lin family’s fortunes, one small step at a time.

The narrative explores themes of resilience, adaptation, and the value of hard work. Lin Yuhe’s transition from a corporate CEO to a village girl is gradual, with her learning to appreciate the simplicity and warmth of rural life. She faces setbacks, such as supply shortages and market competition, but overcomes them through determination and creativity. The Lin family’s support system is crucial to her success, providing emotional stability and practical help. As the story unfolds, Lin Yuhe’s influence extends beyond her immediate family, inspiring others in the village to improve their own lives. The tale concludes with the Lin family in a stronger position, ready to face future challenges with confidence and unity.