Raising Babies in the '60s — The Whole Village Is Green with Envy!

Jiang Li, a top-tier tech tycoon from a post-apocalyptic future, awakens in the body of a woman with the same name in 1970s rural China. The original Jiang Li was known as the laziest woman in the village, a spoiled city girl who married Zhou Bochuan, a rising army officer, only to neglect her duties and abuse her two young sons, Mutou and Shitou. Upon waking, Jiang Li is immediately confronted by her abusive sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law Zhou, who is beating the malnourished children. Jiang Li physically intervenes, kicking her sister-in-law and publicly exposing the family’s financial hypocrisy. She reveals that her husband sends five yuan monthly for their support, which the extended family has been misappropriating, and demands compensation for years of unpaid support.

The confrontation escalates as Jiang Li asserts her authority, slapping Second Sister-in-law Zhou and forcing the matriarch, Mother Zhou, to acknowledge her claims. Jiang Li demands the return of a garden plot and a chicken, which she physically retrieves from the coop despite resistance. After securing her resources, she returns home and undergoes a dramatic transformation. She cleans her filthy house, bathes thoroughly, and reorganizes her life. During this process, she discovers a "Superbrain" system attached to her consciousness, though it is only ten percent loaded, providing her with a backpack, farm, ranch, and factory interface. She also finds a hidden vault beneath her home that connects to her previous life’s villa, containing vast supplies of food, gold, antiques, and modern goods.

Jiang Li realizes she has transmigrated into a novel where the original Jiang Li was a cannon fodder character. The novel’s heroine, who is actually Jiang Li’s half-sister Jiang Yan, stole the original owner’s life, wealth, and husband after her death. In the story, the heroine used the original Jiang Li’s resources to become a celebrated entrepreneur while the real Jiang Li’s sons were destroyed as contrast characters. Determined to change her fate and protect her children, Jiang Li decides to reclaim what was stolen from her. She begins by providing her sons with proper nutrition, including milk formula and meat, which they have never tasted. The boys, initially terrified and suspicious, slowly begin to trust her as she consistently provides for their needs and defends them from abuse.

As Jiang Li improves her family’s living conditions, she faces ongoing hostility from Second Sister-in-law Zhou and the extended family, who resent her sudden competence and refusal to be exploited. Jiang Li navigates the social dynamics of the village with sharp wit and strategic aggression, ensuring her household is left alone while securing her resources. She plans to use her future knowledge and the supplies from her vault to build a prosperous life, all while maintaining a low profile to avoid political trouble. The story follows her efforts to raise her sons, rebuild her reputation, and prepare for the eventual return of her husband, Zhou Bochuan, while keeping the threat of her half-sister’s interference at bay.

The narrative highlights Jiang Li’s adaptation to the harsh economic conditions of the era, where ration coupons and work points determine survival. She uses her superbrain system to enhance agricultural production and manage resources efficiently, laying the groundwork for future prosperity. Her relationship with her sons evolves from fear and distrust to tentative affection and loyalty. Mutou, the older and more cautious son, remains skeptical but hopeful, while Shitou, the younger and more expressive boy, quickly bonds with his mother. Jiang Li’s ultimate goal is to ensure her family’s safety and success, preventing the tragic fate outlined in the novel she once read.