Transmigrated into a Evil Mother-in-Law, Leading the Whole Family to Escape Famine

Shen Qing, a thirty-seven-year-old woman from modern China, finds herself transmigrated into the body of an elderly matriarch in a poverty-stricken household in the fictional region of Huaguo. Upon waking in a dilapidated thatched-roof house, she discovers she has inherited the identity of a cruel, manipulative mother-in-law who is currently staging a self-starvation protest to force her family to abandon her two infant granddaughters. The original owner of this body was known for her tyranny, favoring her youngest son while oppressing her daughters-in-law and granddaughters, a dynamic that ultimately led to the family's destruction during a catastrophic flood. Shen Qing immediately intervenes, calming the distressed family and asserting her authority to protect the children, marking the first step in her transformation of the household.

The core conflict arises from Shen Qing's need to survive impending natural disasters while managing a dysfunctional family on the brink of collapse. She possesses fragmented memories of a future where the family perishes due to starvation, disease, and displacement. Recognizing the dire financial situation—possessing only eleven taels of silver and insufficient grain—she implements immediate reforms. She abolishes the preferential treatment of the youngest son, Jiang Xiangzhong, and institutes a merit-based system where food and resources are distributed according to contribution rather than gender or birth order. This shift disrupts the established hierarchy, causing friction with the spoiled youngest son but earning the loyalty of her eldest daughter-in-law, Huo Bing, and her daughter, Jiang Shui.

A pivotal turning point occurs when Shen Qing discovers a supernatural "Good Deeds Reward" marketplace system. This interface allows her to sell local goods, such as dried fish and wild-caught shrimp, for modern currency, which she can then use to purchase high-quality grain, medicine, and other essentials at discounted rates. Utilizing this advantage, she secures food for the family, treats her sick granddaughter Xiaohua with modern medicine, and begins to rebuild the household's economic stability. She also changes the family's internal dynamics by encouraging her sons to work and teaching her daughter-in-law that she is a valued family member, not a servant.

As the story progresses, Shen Qing faces the challenge of preparing for the upcoming flood season. She identifies the family's lack of savings and resources as a critical vulnerability. Through the marketplace, she accumulates wealth by selling wild-caught aquatic products, which her sons help harvest. She uses these funds to buy essential supplies like salt, oil, and medicine, ensuring the family is better prepared for the disasters ahead. Her actions gradually win over the skepticism of her sons, particularly the third and fourth sons, who begin to take initiative in providing for the family. Meanwhile, she confronts the entitlement of her youngest son, Jiang Xiangzhong, refusing to fund his education further until he demonstrates responsibility and respect for his siblings.

The narrative follows Shen Qing's strategic efforts to transform the Jiang family from a broken, oppressive unit into a cohesive, hardworking collective capable of surviving the harsh realities of their time. By leveraging her modern knowledge and the supernatural marketplace, she addresses immediate needs such as nutrition and healthcare while laying the groundwork for long-term survival. The story highlights her determination to break the cycle of abuse and neglect that defined the original family structure, replacing it with fairness and mutual support. As the flood approaches, the family's improved condition and stronger bonds suggest a divergent path from the tragic fate that befell the original timeline, setting the stage for further challenges and adaptations in the face of impending disaster.