Reborn in the 70s: Repaying a Huge Debt by Fishing and Harvesting from the Sea

Lan Xiruo, a successful businesswoman in her previous life, is brutally imprisoned and abused by a deceitful couple before dying in a bus accident. She awakens in 1974 on a fishing boat near Baima Island, reborn into the body of Lan Zhiqing, an educated youth assigned to rural work. She retains her memories and a mysterious spatial bracelet that allows her to store objects and preserve freshness. Her immediate goal is to prevent the tragic fate that befell her in her past life, specifically ensuring that her fishing companion, Uncle Jiang He, does not die in an upcoming typhoon, and to expose the scumbags who destroyed her previous existence.

The story opens with Lan Xiruo on a fishing trip when a sudden typhoon strikes. In her past life, Uncle Jiang He fell overboard and died after the propeller became entangled in fishing nets. This time, Lan Xiruo uses her knowledge of the storm and quick thinking to save him. She also prevents the boat from capsizing by cutting the tangled net, a task she undertakes despite the dangerous conditions. Her actions save the entire crew, including the young A’Dong and the local fishermen, fundamentally altering their fates. Upon returning to shore, the crew faces a massive debt for the lost equipment, a burden that would have ruined them in her previous timeline.

Determined to clear the debt, Lan Xiruo organizes a mission to retrieve the lost fishing nets. She borrows a boat from a neighboring team by offering a share of their scavenged catch. During the search, they recover two damaged nets containing a significant amount of seafood, including valuable Chinese shad and large yellow croakers. The effort yields enough money to begin repaying the debt, but the financial strain remains a pressing concern for the team. Lan Xiruo’s leadership and strategic thinking earn her the respect of Uncle Jiang He and the other crew members.

A major turning point occurs when the crew pulls up a sealed wooden barrel from the seabed. Inside, they discover two rare Southern Song Dynasty porcelain vases. Lan Xiruo correctly identifies them as national treasures and insists they be turned over to the state, warning the superstitious fishermen against keeping them. Shortly after, they also recover a hominid skull fossil estimated to be 600,000 years old. Lan Xiruo and Sun Yuqing, another educated youth with connections to the cultural relics bureau, arrange for officials from Beijing to collect the artifacts.

However, their success attracts the attention of Lian Laidi, a malicious villager known for spreading rumors and causing trouble. Lian Laidi eavesdrops on their activities and reports them to the local commune, hoping to seize credit or cause chaos. Fearing that the Red Armbands will interfere before the experts arrive, Lan Xiruo hides the artifacts in her spatial bracelet, rendering them invisible to searchers. She also anticipates Lian Laidi’s schemes and prepares to counter them. The narrative follows Lan Xiruo as she navigates the political and social complexities of the era, using her future knowledge and spatial abilities to protect her friends, repay her debts, and build a secure future while keeping her supernatural advantage hidden.

As the cultural relics experts prepare to arrive, Lan Xiruo continues to manage the daily struggles of island life. She engages in tide-harvesting to supplement their income, demonstrating her resourcefulness by finding abundant seafood and even hunting rabbits. Her relationship with Uncle Jiang He deepens as he becomes a loyal ally. The story highlights her determination to change the outcomes of those around her, particularly saving Uncle Jiang He from his destined death and ensuring her team’s survival against the economic hardships of the time. The looming threat of Lian Laidi’s retaliation adds tension, setting the stage for further conflict as Lan Xiruo establishes her position in this new life.