Seaside Army Life in the '70s: When a Beauty Came to the Island

Su Wan, a master chef competing in an international culinary finals, dies in a plane crash and transmigrates into the body of a cannon-fodder supporting character in a retro-era novel set in 1975. The original Su Wan was the daughter of a declined prestigious family branded as descendants of capitalists, stripping her of social opportunities. After finishing middle school, she was sent to a remote military island to fulfill a childhood engagement with He Nanfeng, a military officer. In the original plot, malicious gossip and schemes ruined her reputation, leading to an estranged relationship with her husband, alienation from her child, and a lonely death. Upon waking in the sleeper carriage en route to the island, Su Wan assesses her situation. She lacks funds, identification, and escape options due to the strict bureaucratic controls of the era. Deciding to survive by leveraging her culinary skills and avoiding the novel’s main protagonists, she discovers a mystical "treasure box" containing her late master’s prized seasonings, which can be stored and retrieved at will via a water-drop mark on her wrist. This artifact is revealed to be part of a system assigned to her, tasking her with playing the role of Su Wan and winning over He Nanfeng to prevent the collapse of the story world.

He Nanfeng, a twenty-two-year-old deputy battalion commander and "second-generation red" with a cold exterior, has long accepted the arranged marriage due to family pressure and a lack of personal romantic interest. He is unaware that his fiancée is the beautiful, capable woman he meets at Pearl Station. Their first encounter subverts the original novel’s hostile tone; He Nanfeng, nervous and inexperienced, treats Su Wan with unexpected gentleness and respect. He offers her breakfast, helps with her luggage, and openly declares his intention to be loyal and supportive, handing over his salary and savings to her. Su Wan, recognizing his sincerity and stability, agrees to the marriage, marking a significant deviation from the tragic path of the original character. They travel to Dongzhu Island together, where He Nanfeng’s popularity and kindness among locals are evident. Su Wan expresses a desire to avoid the crowded military family compound due to its complex social dynamics, and He Nanfeng promptly agrees to help her find a private residence.

On the island, Su Wan and He Nanfeng rent a courtyard in Seaside Village, a peaceful area with fertile land and a welcoming community. The rental process involves negotiations with Village Chief Jiang and local elders, highlighting the integration of military and civilian life on the island. Su Wan uses her system’s storage space to organize her belongings and plans to utilize her culinary expertise to improve their living standards. Meanwhile, the original novel’s heroine, Luo Qingqing, a member of the island’s art troupe and niece of a political commissar, learns of He Nanfeng’s marriage. Although she harbors secret feelings for another man and denies romantic interest in He Nanfeng to her uncle, the political implications of his marriage to a "capitalist descendant" create underlying tension. The political commissar, aware of He Nanfeng’s merit and the He family’s influence, ensures the marriage approval proceeds despite the political stigma attached to Su Wan’s background.

As Su Wan settles into her new home, she begins to navigate the social landscape of the military island. Her relationship with He Nanfeng develops through mutual respect and shared domestic responsibilities, contrasting sharply with the original plot’s conflict-driven narrative. He Nanfeng’s protective nature and Su Wan’s pragmatic yet warm demeanor establish a foundation for a genuine partnership. The story shifts focus from the original tragic romance to Su Wan’s efforts to build a stable life, utilizing her system and culinary skills to thrive in the material-scarce environment of 1975. The narrative sets the stage for future challenges involving the original protagonists, political scrutiny, and the complexities of island life, as Su Wan aims to rewrite her fate while fulfilling her system-assigned mission.