The Beauty in the 70s: Remarrying the Military Officer Brother-in-Law

In the summer of 1978, at the Red Star Production Brigade, Lin Wanxing attempted to drown herself in the river east of the village after receiving news that her fiancé, Gu Jianbin, had died in the line of duty. Upon being rescued, she realized she had transmigrated into the body of the original Lin Wanxing from a novel she had read the night before. The original host had been a tragic figure, forced to marry a man considered dead and serve his family for thirty years, only to be discarded when he returned with another woman. Armed with knowledge of the plot, Lin Wanxing resolved to change her fate and avoid becoming a living widow for a selfish man.

Lin Wanxing’s family, including her mother Wang Shufen and siblings Lin Dabao and Lin Xiaoya, pressured her to marry into the Gu family to secure social status and material benefits. They viewed her as a tool for family advancement rather than a person with agency. At Gu Jianbin’s funeral, Lin Wanxing faced hostility from the Gu family, who blamed her for their son’s death. Instead of submitting, she dramatically smashed the memorial portrait and publicly declared that Gu Jianbin had wished for her to remarry, framing it as his final selfless act. This performance shifted the villagers’ sympathy toward her and sparked interest among the unmarried men present, particularly a state-employed accountant.

The situation took an unexpected turn when Gu Jianfeng, Gu Jianbin’s adopted younger brother and a decorated military officer, arrived late from a mission. Unaware of the full context, he interpreted Lin Wanxing’s distress as a fulfillment of his brother’s wish and publicly offered to marry her to take responsibility. His proposal silenced the other suitors and left the Gu family unable to refuse without damaging their reputation. Lin Wanxing accepted, seeing it as her best opportunity to escape her original fate and gain independence.

After the funeral, Lin Wanxing’s siblings demanded that she use her new connection to the Gu family to obtain scarce goods and coupons for them. When she refused, they plotted to use the Gu family’s name to bully shop clerks at the commune’s supply and marketing cooperative. They sought advice from Gu Xiuxiu, Gu Jianbin’s sister, who sarcastically encouraged them, believing their attempt would fail and embarrass Lin Wanxing. Lin Dabao and Lin Xiaoya proceeded to the cooperative, where they caused a scene by demanding special treatment and insulting staff.

Lin Wanxing arrived at the cooperative and publicly denounced her siblings’ behavior, slapping them and delivering an emotional speech about the honor of martyrs and the dangers of exploiting their family’s name. Her actions won the sympathy of the crowd and the local officials. Gu Xiuxiu, arriving later, attempted to distance herself from the incident by scolding the children, but they revealed that she had encouraged them. This exposed Gu Xiuxiu’s hypocrisy to the community, damaging her reputation. Meanwhile, Gu Jianfeng continued to support Lin Wanxing, performing household chores at her home and solidifying his image as a responsible and kind husband-to-be. The story concludes with Lin Wanxing successfully navigating the complex social dynamics of the commune, having secured her future while exposing the greed of her biological family and the deceit of the Gu siblings.