Transmigrated into a Cannon Fodder in a Period Novel, Eating Melons to Change My Family's Fate

Jiang Le, a nineteen-year-old orphan who died from overwork after passing his college entrance exams, awakens in a barren field with a severe head injury. He discovers he has transmigrated into the body of a fifteen-year-old boy with the same name in a rural Chinese village during the early 1970s. The setting matches a novel he previously read, where the original Jiang Le was a minor cannon fodder character destined for a tragic end. The original host had died from the same head injury inflicted by Xu Youcai, an educated youth who framed him for stealing eggs to punish him for allegedly harassing the novel’s female lead, Lin Banxue. Jiang Le realizes he must navigate this dangerous social environment while avoiding the plot points that led to his predecessor’s demise.

Upon returning to his dilapidated home, Jiang Le encounters his family, who are malnourished and struggling. His sister, Jiang Huan, though frail and skeletal, displays fierce protective instincts, shocking Jiang Le with her immediate anger on his behalf. Meanwhile, Xu Youcai and Auntie Sun rally villagers to accuse Jiang Le of theft, aiming to have him sent to labor reform. Jiang Le confronts the accusation with sharp wit, exposing logical inconsistencies in Xu Youcai’s testimony. He points out that Xu Youcai had no reason to be near Auntie Sun’s house and that the basket used to carry the eggs was common property, not unique to Auntie Sun. His articulate defense sways the villagers, who begin to doubt Xu Youcai’s credibility.

The confrontation escalates when Jiang Le feigns fainting from the stress and injury. During his unconscious state, he binds with a Melon-Eating System, which repairs his body and provides him with a virtual marketplace. The system allows him to exchange points for food and supplies, which he uses to secretly improve his family’s diet. When he wakes in the village clinic, Lin Banxue arrives to testify that she saw Xu Youcai sneaking around, confirming his guilt. Xu Youcai, terrified of ruining his chance to return to the city, confesses to framing Jiang Le. The village Party Secretary, feeling guilty for initially doubting Jiang Le, forces Xu Youcai to pay compensation and assigns him menial labor as punishment.

Jiang Le chooses not to press criminal charges, a decision that earns him the reputation of a magnanimous victim and strengthens his alliance with the Party Secretary. He uses the ten-yuan compensation to buy food from the system, secretly replenishing his family’s empty grain stores. His family, previously indifferent or hostile toward the original Jiang Le due to his laziness, begins to treat him with care and concern. Jiang Le assesses his new reality, noting that the national college entrance exam is scheduled to resume in 1977. He resolves to use his knowledge of future events and the system’s resources to change his fate, support his family, and secure an education despite the material scarcity of the era.

As Jiang Le settles into his new life, he navigates the complex social dynamics of the village. He encounters Gou Dan and his gang, who attempt to extort money from him based on rumors of his compensation. Jiang Le uses psychological tactics, pretending to be on the verge of death from his head injury, which terrifies the boys into fleeing. He continues to manage his household’s nutrition and studies, balancing his modern mindset with the constraints of the 1970s. The story establishes his long-term goal of preparing for the college entrance exam while leveraging the system to overcome immediate hardships. His relationship with his family evolves from distant and strained to supportive, as they witness his sudden maturity and the improved living conditions. Jiang Le remains cautious about the original plot’s deviations, aware that his presence has already altered the trajectory of events surrounding Xu Youcai and the village’s power structure.