Qi Xinlan kept her eyes sealed, stubbornly refusing to open them.
She was afraid - afraid that upon opening her eyes, the terrifying unfamiliar world would still be there.
She clearly remembered how her colleagues had celebrated boisterously upon her promotion to the company's Administrative Director.
After one too many drinks under the warm smiles of everyone, she passed out.
When she eventually opened her eyes, she felt like she wasn't herself.
Her exquisite dress seemed to have transformed into rough cotton garments that made crinkly noise at the slightest movement in the night.
And how on earth, had her lovely mattress-priced bed turned into an old-fashioned wooden bed?
Qi Xinlan swore, as she used to sleep more comfortably on the beds in the welfare home during her childhood.
Had she time-traveled? Or was this a new way her colleagues celebrated a promotion?
Before Qi Xinlan could figure out anything, a torrent of information suddenly assaulted her mind.
Feeling faint and dizzy, Qi Xinlan almost passed out from anger once she had finished processing the information.
The original owner was named Zhao Guilin, a 52-year-old woman whose husband died five years ago from over-drinking.
Her husband's surname was Qi, and the friendly neighbors around them customarily called her 'Aunt Qi'.
'Aunt Qi' had four sons. The eldest, Qi Wenjun, was a military man. Despite being 32 years old, he had been serving in the military for 13 years. During a visit home, his family had arranged for him to get married.
He then had four sons and a daughter. When his last daughter was born, Qi Wenjun stealthily brought back a girl, claiming she was an orphan of a comrade.
In summary, the eldest of the family has six children.
The second child, Qi Wenbing, is thirty years old. He works at a local oil press, and his wife also works there.
In comparison, the second oldest's family has fewer children, two sons and a daughter.
The third child, Qi Wenwu, is twenty-seven years old. He is a small worker who oversees the grain store at the local grain depot. His wife is unemployed, and they have two sons.
Don't underestimate the third child's unemployed wife. She's very shrewd and calculating.
Lastly, there's the youngest son, Qi Wenhua. He just graduated from high school this year. He didn't get admitted into college and is currently unemployed.
How can Qi Xinlan not despair in such a situation?
Yesterday, she was still a senior executive at a multinational company, Cindy Qi. After a night of sleep, she has become the "Aunt Qi" in other people's mouth!
Directly transforming from a mature, unmarried elite woman, into an old woman with grandchildren, how could anyone bear it?
The reason for the sudden demise of the original owner was due to an accident of the eldest son, who was the most promising in the family.
Qi Wenjun was injured while on duty, protecting his comrades. He took three bullets, failed to be rescued, and became a martyr.
Yesterday, the army and the county came to deliver the condolence money, the martyr's plaque, and some belongings of Qi Wenjun.
Upon seeing these things, the original owner, Aunt Qi, didn't manage to catch her breath and passed away.
The next time she opened her eyes, Qi Xinlan took over the original host's place.
Others go through an incarnation, either as a child or at least as a peer of the same age.
They have the luxury of youth to spend.
How did it come to pass that she found herself at twilight, just as the sun sets over the western mountains?
Alas! For most people, it's actually getting younger with each reincarnation. In her case, she has been cut twenty years from the middle of her life, and what's worse, all her years of hard work have been taken away.
What? Because her professional life was too smooth, did the god of fate feel jealous, sending her to a hellish start?
How could Qi Xinlan not feel upset?
She squinted and looked at the ripped calendar on the bedside table.
1983, February 28!
Damn it, she couldn't live with this!
"Mom! Mom! You're awake, huh? Would you like a sip of water?" A voice came to Qi Xinlan's ear.
Naturally, Qi Xinlan knew it was the voice of the original character's eldest son, Qi Wenhua.
"Sip of water? Do we have Dichlorvos? Bring it to me!" Qi Xinlan retorted.
This comment sent a shockwave through everyone in the room.
Qi Wenbing, the second son who was seated quite far, and Qi Wenwu, the third son, with their respective wives, immediately crowded around her.
"Mom, you can't think like this! You have more than one son!"
"Mom, we already lost Dad, we can't afford to lose you too!"
"Mom, you said you wanted to watch me get married, you can't leave us to find Dad!"
"Waaaa, Grandma! Dad! Mom!"
...
All sorts of voices filled Qi Xinlan's ears, the callings of 'mom' and 'grandma' making her feel more and more aggravated.
She sprang up, ready to lash out,
only to see two small toddlers who had just learned to walk, eyes full of tears, looking at her.
"Nana!" One round-faced, almond-eyed toddler hesitantly called out.
Tears involuntarily course down Qi Xinlan's cheeks, the hefty droplets flowing freely.
Seeing Qi Xinlan crying, the little toddlers pouted and began to wipe their own tears.
Upon seeing this, Qi Wenhua, who was beside them, quickly scooped up the young nieces and placed them in front of Qi Xinlan.
And then with no restraint, Qi Xinlan hugged her granddaughters and started to weep openly.
Seeing Qi Xinlan cry so desolately, a sigh of relief went through everyone in the room.
Wasn't it because she didn't cry last night that caused her to faint? Now that she has cried, she should be a lot better.
"Mom, even though big brother is gone, you still have us. You still have these children!" Qi Wenhua choked out while soothing her.
Qi Xinlan hugged the two little girls and after crying for a while, she finally felt somewhat relieved in her heart.
When given lemons, make lemonade!
What kind of start was granted by the God? Even if she dies again, it's not certain if she could return to her previous life.
Barely...barely she should still be able to live for a few decades at least!
Qi Xinlan glanced at everyone in the room.
Her three sons were all present, along with the wives of her second and third son, Lin Huiying and Fang Meina respectively. The children from each room were also around.
The only one missing was her eldest son, Qi Wenjun's wife, Liu Shuqin.
"Where is your eldest sister-in-law?" Qi Xinlan asked calmly.
The second and third sons both hung their heads and did not dare to speak, only the fourth son Qi Wenhua was full of anger.
"Yesterday night, after receiving the news about my eldest brother, the eldest sister-in-law packed up her things and returned to her maternal home," Qi Wenhua said in anger.
Qi Xinlan looked at her eldest son's six children.
The six children of varying heights all had fear in their eyes.
"Anything else?" Qi Xinlan continued to ask.
"She... she took away all the pension money of my elder brother," Qi Wenhua stated directly.
Qi Xinlan nodded, and only then did she raise her head to look at her second son Qi Wenbing and third son Qi Wenwu.
"You three, go to your eldest sister-in-law's maternal home tomorrow, and in front of everyone, tell her to roll back here with the pension money tomorrow night.
Otherwise, I'll let her and her family know what it's like to live without any face," Qi Xinlan said coldly.
Hearing Qi Xinlan say this, the three Qi brothers finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, everything was okay. Their domineering and aggressive mother was back.