Transmigrated into the '70s: The Lucky Koi Heroine Brings Her Own Treasure Chest and Wins Big
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Shen Zhiyi, a modern food livestreamer, transmigrates into the body of her namesake in the novel A Life in the 70s. Upon waking in a cramped dormitory, she learns she is about to be released from Nancheng Prison after serving a three-year labor reform sentence for pushing a toddler named Tongtong into a reservoir. The original Shen Zhiyi was a village teacher who was framed by her husband, Lu Yusheng, and his lover, Jiang Ruochu. As Shen Zhiyi exits the prison gates, she is met by Zhou Muxuan, the police officer who arrested her three years prior. He delivers a divorce agreement drafted by Lu Yusheng, which strips Shen Zhiyi of all her dowry and rights. Instead of signing, Shen Zhiyi tears the document to pieces, declaring that Lu Yusheng must kneel and beg her for a divorce if he wants one.

Zhou Muxuan, who harbors guilt over his role in her imprisonment and owes Lu Yusheng a medical favor, offers to help Shen Zhiyi overturn her case if she provides evidence. Shen Zhiyi, aware of the novel’s plot, knows she is innocent but lacks an alibi for the day of the incident. She accepts Zhou Muxuan’s offer and rides with him to Lu Village, where Lu Yusheng is hosting a lavish banquet for Tongtong’s first birthday. The Lu family, who previously mocked Shen Zhiyi’s poverty, now flaunt their wealth, with Jiang Ruochu wearing Shen Zhiyi’s gold necklace and living as Lu Yusheng’s de facto wife. Shen Zhiyi confronts the family publicly, demanding the return of her camphor wood dowry chest. When Lu Yusheng refuses, she whispers a threat about paternity testing to him, causing him to panic and order the chest returned, fearing she knows Tongtong is his illegitimate child with Jiang Ruochu.

After retrieving her dowry and the necklace, Shen Zhiyi leaves Lu Village and reunites with her supportive mother and sister in Lihua Village. She secures a job as the head chef at Fumanlou, a prestigious local restaurant, after winning a cooking competition against veteran chefs. Her innovative cola chicken wings become a hit, providing her with financial independence. During this time, she discovers that her camphor wood chest, which she names Ruyi, is a magical artifact that grants her wishes, such as conjuring money and rare seasonings, when she offers it incense. This supernatural aid accelerates her rise in the culinary world and bolsters her confidence.

Lu Yusheng and Jiang Ruochu continue to harass Shen Zhiyi, once staging a complaint about a fly in her food at the restaurant to damage her reputation, but Boss Wei, the restaurant owner, supports her. Jiang Ruochu, now pregnant with Lu Yusheng’s second child, pressures him to finalize the divorce quickly. Lu Yusheng, still shaken by Shen Zhiyi’s knowledge of his secrets, attempts to drag out the process. Meanwhile, Shen Zhiyi submits an application to reopen her criminal case. She later obtains a magical paternity test report from Ruyi that proves Lu Yusheng is the father of Tongtong. She anonymously submits this report to the hospital’s suggestion box, setting the stage for Lu Yusheng’s exposure. The story follows Shen Zhiyi’s strategic efforts to reclaim her life, clear her name, and dismantle the family that ruined her, all while navigating her growing alliance with Zhou Muxuan.

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Document
A handwritten divorce agreement penned by Lu Yusheng. The first clause states Shen Zhiyi must leave the marriage with nothing and cannot take any Lu family belongings, including her dowry. Shen Zhiyi tore it into pieces and refused to sign it, demanding Lu Yusheng kneel and beg her instead.
Vehicle
A bicycle ridden by Lu Yusheng to pick up Shen Zhiyi after her release. Jiang Ruochu sat on the back wearing a brand-new Terylene dress, deliberately rubbing it in Shen Zhiyi's face.
Materials
Given by the middle-aged woman vendor to Ling Mo as payment for buying a soldier's ration.
Item
Rare and expensive liquor served at the Lu family banquet for Tongtong's first birthday. During Shen Zhiyi's wedding, the Lu family claimed poverty and even had her mother provide the liquor for guests.
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A water bottle that Qin Mian carried in his bag during the train journey. Li Luo drank from it when she was thirsty while he was away.
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Over twenty tables set up outside the Lu family courtyard for the banquet celebrating Tongtong's first birthday. The central table was covered with a red cloth and topped with Maotai liquor and braised pork.
Latest Release
DateGroupRelease
2026-08-11shanghai fantasy c7
2026-08-11shanghai fantasy c6
2026-08-11shanghai fantasy c5
2026-08-11shanghai fantasy c4
2026-08-11shanghai fantasy c3
2026-08-11shanghai fantasy c2
2026-08-11shanghai fantasy c1

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These chapters move at a breakneck pace and I have zero complaints. Chapter 31 opens with the aftermath of the confrontation, then immediately pivots to the Lu family's reaction, then to Lu Changsheng's failed attempt to confront Shen Zhiyi, then to Yu Sheng's return — all in the span of a few pages. What I love is how the author uses scene transitions as punctuation. The gambling scene acts as a breather after the tension of the police station confrontation, but it's not lazy padding — it reveals character. Shen Zhiyi losing money and smiling tells us more about her current mental state than any internal monologue could. Then Lu Changsheng walking in on that scene? Perfect timing. The author could have had him arrive earlier, but no — he arrives when she's most vulnerable (on her period, losing money) and most defiant (surrounded by allies). That's structural intentionality. The cliffhanger with Su Xiangdong arriving on a bicycle as the family discusses what to do next? Classic. It creates a natural break while raising the stakes. And the chapter ending with Yu Sheng promising to help the second daughter? That sets up the next conflict without feeling forced. The only moment that felt slightly rushed was the transition from the Lu family's panic to Yu Sheng's return, but honestly, in a web novel format, that's a feature not a bug. The author knows how to keep you scrolling.
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The worldbuilding in these chapters is quietly incredible and I want to appreciate it because the author never stops to give us a history lecture but somehow we know exactly where and when we are. Let me paint you the picture: Shen Zhiyi rides on the back of a tractor used for hauling cement, perched on her camphorwood box, while Aunt Zhang tells her stories about how she used to burn down the kitchen as a kid. That detail alone — the tractor, the eggs as payment, the casual farming life — it all places us firmly in a small Chinese town in the early reform era. Then there's Fumanlou itself. The back kitchen entrance, the staff dormitory on the top floor with four tiny rooms, the small blackboard by the door where Shen Zhiyi writes the day's specials in neat chalk handwriting. These details matter because they create a lived-in world. The restaurant isn't some glamorous five-star establishment — it's a real place with real problems, real staff dynamics, real customers who tip five yuan and actually want to see the chef when the food is good. And the clothing! Shen Zhiyi buying hemp shirts and casual hemp trousers, Li-jie giving her secondhand clothes she never wore. The candle and incense shop where she buys offerings for her magical box. Every object, every location, every small detail grounds us in this specific time and place. Even the cola — or rather, the lack of it initially — tells us about the era. This is a time when imported beverages were luxuries, when innovation in cooking was genuinely surprising. The world feels alive because every scene has texture.
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I've been thinking about this magical box a lot and I keep coming back to the idea that Ruyi isn't just a plot convenience — it's a symbol for something much deeper. The name itself, Ruyi, means 'as you wish' in Chinese. It's the name of an ancient ceremonial scepter that symbolizes power and good fortune. So right from the naming, the author is telling us this object represents the fulfillment of desire, the realization of potential. But here's what I find most interesting: the box doesn't give Shen Zhiyi everything for free. She has to offer incense. She has to make wishes with intention. She has to put in the work. The box is a metaphor for opportunity — and opportunity without effort is worthless. Shen Zhiyi could have used the money and just retired, but she chooses to cook. She chooses to innovate. She chooses to prove herself. The cola chicken wings aren't just a dish — they represent her breaking through barriers. A female chef in an era where women were expected to marry and manage homes. An ex-labor-reform person in a society that had already judged her. A teacher who had to start over from scratch. Every time she succeeds, she's not just selling food — she's dismantling prejudice. And the incense offerings? That's the theme of reciprocity. You don't just take from the universe; you give back. You show gratitude. You maintain the relationship. The box works because Shen Zhiyi respects it. And that's the deeper message: magic or opportunity or luck — whatever you call it — it responds to those who approach it with humility and hard work. The story isn't about getting rich quick. It's about earning your place in the world.
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I need to talk about Zhou Muchen for a second because this man is quietly becoming the best romantic interest in this entire novel and I am NOT okay with it. Here's the thing — he makes a joke about her and bribery, she gets visibly upset, and instead of doubling down or brushing it off, he ACTUALLY APOLOGIZES. Like, a sincere, no-strings-attached apology. Not 'I'm sorry you felt that way' but 'I was wrong, I didn't mean to upset you.' That is RARE in fiction. Most male leads would have made her apologize for overreacting. Zhou Muchen just... owns it. And then the follow-up? He keeps checking in. 'Not angry anymore?' 'So you didn't see Lu's doctor's second sister just now?' He's fishing for information but also just... present. He cares about her emotional state and he's not hiding it. The fact that she completely forgets she was mad because she was having fun with the card game? That's not manipulation, that's just genuine good chemistry. They're not exes who can't let go — they're two people who clearly understand each other better than anyone else in the room. Meanwhile the Lu family dynamic is just... tragic. Lu Changsheng showing up with that sense of entitlement, like Shen Zhiyi still owes him loyalty after everything they put her through. And the chefs defending her like she's one of them? That's earned respect, not blood obligation. The contrast is everything.
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Okay so I have to talk about this magical camphorwood box because honestly it is the single most satisfying plot device I have encountered in a long time. Shen Zhiyi discovers it basically by accident — she opens it and three bottles of Pepsi just appear. Just like that. No fanfare, no dramatic explanation, just *bang* there they are. And then she makes a wish for money and the box literally delivers a full box of era-appropriate bills. I literally gasped out loud reading that part. What I love most about this plot choice is that the author doesn't over-explain it. We don't get some lengthy lore dump about where the box came from or why it works. It just works, and that mystery is honestly better than any detailed explanation would be. The box gives her exactly what she needs when she needs it — cola for her dish, seasonings for her cooking, money for her future. It's like the universe itself decided Shen Zhiyi deserved a win. And the way the plot ties her magical advantage to her hard work is perfect. She doesn't just get rich and do nothing — she still has to invent the cola chicken wings, still has to deal with skeptical chefs, still has to prove herself. The box is a tool, not a crutch. That's why this subplot feels so satisfying instead of cheap. The tension between her keeping the box secret and needing to use it strategically adds this constant undercurrent of suspense. What if someone finds out? What if it stops working? These questions keep me hooked even during the quieter scenes.
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The pacing in these chapters is absolutely masterful and I need to explain why because it's the kind of pacing that makes you lose track of time. The author takes us through what is essentially Shen Zhiyi's first week at Fumanlou, and every single scene advances either her career, her relationships, or her understanding of her magical box. There is zero filler. Chapter 11 establishes the box and its rules — she wishes, it delivers, she offers incense in return. Chapter 12 is her first day at work, and the entire chapter is basically a rising action sequence. She arrives, meets her colleagues, proposes her创新 dish, faces skepticism, gets Boss Wei's backing, and then — the best part — the sales numbers climb throughout the chapter like a heartbeat. Ten portions sold, then thirty, then fifty. Each number is a small victory. And Chapter 13 wraps up the week with the Boss Wei and Li-jie visit, the mother's visit, and the weekend sales peak. The structure is almost like a three-act story compressed into three chapters. What I love most is how the author controls tension. The scene where Shen Zhiyi hears knocking at her dorm door and quickly covers the magical box — that moment of panic, that split-second fear of discovery — it's brief but it raises the stakes. Every time someone comes to her door after that, there's this tiny undercurrent of 'will they find out?' It's brilliant because the author doesn't need a dramatic cliffhanger every chapter. The quiet tension of a secret kept is almost more engaging. And the transition from the magical discovery to the practical application — using the box to fuel her cooking career — feels natural, not rushed.
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