RYEY – Chapter 1 Rebirth

1969, Northeastern Region, Xiangyang Village, Autumn

A vast stretch of land was covered with tall corn stalks, their lush green leaves swaying slightly in the wind.

In the hazy moonlit cornfield, clothes lay scattered on the ground. Cheng Qiao slowly opened her eyes in a daze, only to meet a pair of familiar eyes. She froze in shock—this was Erlizi, the village’s most despised loafer and rogue.

But… wasn’t he dead? He had once gone hunting in the mountains to feed them, only to fall off a cliff. Their child had also drowned in the river. After that, everyone called her an ill omen, and eventually, the villagers forced her out of Xiangyang Village.

Wait—hadn’t she died too? After discovering the truth, she had strangled her so-called best friend, Xu Laidi, who had framed her, pushed Erlizi off the cliff, and drowned her child. Then Cheng Qiao had returned to Xiangyang Village and leapt from the cliff herself.

For a moment, Cheng Qiao was stunned, unable to tell if this was a dream or reality. She pinched herself hard.

“Hiss~” The sharp pain told her it was real.

“Cheng Qiao, I’m sorry. I… I just couldn’t hold back…”

That familiar voice sounded in her ear, and she finally realized—she had been reborn. She had come back to the very moment Erlizi had just taken her innocence. Tears welled up instantly.

This man—looked down on by all, the poorest and most shameless in the village—was the only one who had ever truly treated her well. If she had really been given another life, she was determined to cherish him this time.

In her past life, on this very night, Xu Laidi had schemed to make her fall into Erlizi’s hands. Then Xu Laidi brought people to “find” her, catching them together in the cornfield.

Xu Laidi had pretended to cry bitterly, claiming she hadn’t meant to expose Cheng Qiao. She only said that since Cheng Qiao hadn’t returned late at night, she had worried something might have happened, so she called the village head and brought others to look for her.

Back then, Cheng Qiao had been foolishly grateful, thinking if not for Xu Laidi’s timely arrival, she would’ve been ruined by Erlizi. Xu Laidi had held her comfortingly, sighing in pity and fretting about her future.

Yes, after such a scandal, who would ever want her? Erlizi had knelt right there, vowing to send his mother to propose marriage immediately.

Of course, Cheng Qiao had refused. She was a proper educated youth—how could she marry such a man? But Xu Laidi pulled her aside, speaking earnestly of the dire consequences if she didn’t. In the end, she had no choice but to marry him.

When she brought her belongings to Erlizi’s home, she could hardly believe her eyes. She had seen poverty, but never anything like this. The house leaked wind, and there wasn’t even a single decent quilt.

She regretted it instantly and ran back to the educated youths’ dormitory, but Xu Laidi turned on her, sneering that as a married woman she couldn’t live there anymore—it would ruin the reputation of all the other girls.

Even the other female educated youths, once friendly, looked at her with disgust. With no other choice, she slunk back to Erlizi’s hut. She drove him out, forbidding him to come near her.

Two months later, she discovered she was pregnant. Furious, she tried everything she could to get rid of the child. Erlizi, however, pleaded with her humbly to keep it. He promised he would earn money—enough to support both mother and child.

And he kept his word. Working from dawn to dusk, Erlizi scraped together a living. Slowly, life improved. Their baby was born healthy, chubby, and adored by all.

But the good times didn’t last. While chasing a hare in the mountains, Erlizi slipped off a cliff and died. Only then did Cheng Qiao realize how helpless she was without him.

Half a year later, when their child was just three, the little one was found drowned in the river. From then on, Cheng Qiao was completely isolated. Even the righteous village head looked at her with disgust.

Xu Laidi incited the villagers further, gathering people to curse and throw stones at her door daily. In the end, the mother-in-law who had never liked her quietly gave her all of her savings—the money she had set aside for her coffin—and secretly sent her away.

Over a decade later, with that money, Cheng Qiao opened a small grocery shop in Chuncheng.

She also uncovered the truth. Without hesitation, she sought out Xu Laidi and strangled her with her own hands, finally taking revenge. Returning to Xiangyang Village, she leapt off the cliff…

“Erlizi, we’ve been set up. People are coming to catch us any second. Quick, run!”

Cheng Qiao spotted flashlight beams flickering in the distance. She shoved Erlizi away, hurriedly snatched up her clothes, and dressed in a rush.

Erlizi’s expression shifted. He grabbed his own clothes and gestured toward the cornfield. Cheng Qiao understood instantly, ducking in and disappearing from sight.

When the flashlights lit up Erlizi’s face, he raised his hand to block the glare, then slowly stood up.

“Erlizi, where’s Cheng Qiao?”

Xu Laidi’s flashlight darted around, sweeping past the corn stalks. Aside from Erlizi, there was no one else.

Erlizi narrowed his eyes at her. This was the woman who had told him Cheng Qiao had twisted her ankle, asking him to carry her to the village doctor. He had rushed over—only to find Cheng Qiao clearly drugged. Seeing her in such pain, he had done what he’d always wanted but never dared. From the day that pale, clean-faced girl arrived in Xiangyang Village, she had lived in his heart.

“Erlizi, where’s Cheng Qiao?”

This time it was the village head speaking. He had just been about to go to bed when the educated youths banged on his door, claiming Erlizi had taken Cheng Qiao and she hadn’t returned. They begged him to help.

Alarmed, the village head had gathered the villagers. Led by Xu Laidi, they searched the cornfield—and sure enough, found Erlizi there.

Erlizi plucked a stalk of grass and chewed it slowly. Just as the village head was about to lose his temper, Erlizi drawled, “How should I know? Wasn’t she the one who brought you all here? You should be asking her.”

The village head turned to Xu Laidi, frowning. Xu Laidi grew anxious, pointing at Erlizi. “Don’t pretend! You must have hidden Cheng Qiao. Hand her over, or I’ll report this to the Public Security Bureau!”

Erlizi smirked, his grin roguish and mocking. He looked at the village head and said, “Village Head, this female educated youth asked me to wait here. Said a beauty had an appointment. I’ve been waiting all this time—but where’s the beauty?”

The village head glanced between the two, unsure who to believe. Erlizi’s reputation was bad, but only for mooching food or shirking work. In terms of conduct, he wasn’t known to cross the line.