Chapter One: The Posthumous Child

Lin Qiuran opened her eyes and saw the same withered brown beams and earth-yellow ceiling—low enough to feel suffocating. Another night had passed, yet she still had not returned to the modern world. It seemed she truly had traveled through time.

Two days ago, she had found herself in the body of a peasant girl in ancient times. The original owner had been married just over two months before, to Xiao Xun from the neighboring village. On the third day after their wedding, her husband had left to join the army, leaving her to live with his parents.

The Xiao elders, though, were kindly enough—there were no younger brothers or sisters-in-law, so her days had been relatively peaceful and unburdened. That was, until disaster struck.

Three days ago, the village head came to the Xiao house with terrible news: Xiao Xun had died in battle, his body lost.

Upon hearing this, the original owner’s mother-in-law, Madam Sun, fainted on the spot. As for the young bride, faced with widowhood so soon after marriage, she too collapsed in grief—and it was Lin Qiuran who awoke thereafter.

Upon waking, Lin Qiuran was told by Madam Sun something that was not good for her, but a lifeline for the Xiao family: she was pregnant.

For Lin Qiuran, this was a bolt from the blue. Her husband was dead, but he had left behind a posthumous child.

The original owner was only eighteen, with a lifetime ahead of her. But Lin Qiuran was not the original; to her, the child was just an embryo, and she felt nothing for Xiao Xun, whom she had never even met. How could she be expected to bear his child? Especially here—the Xiao family was poor, their home a simple mud-brick dwelling with just three rooms and rough wooden furniture. Life in this ancient peasant household was a world apart from the modern comforts Lin Qiuran once knew; raising a child here would be pure hardship.

If she truly stayed on with the Xiao family to raise the child, her life would be ruined. A young widow now, she could rely on the elders for help, but once they were gone, she would be left alone with an orphan—life would become truly unbearable. A widow’s door attracts endless gossip, especially since the original owner was quite beautiful.

Even if Madam Sun begged her to have the child and promised she wouldn’t need to raise it, the reality remained: the elders were already in their forties, and by the time the child grew, they would be old and frail. If anything happened to them, the child would be left orphaned, and Lin Qiuran, the mother, would be faced with an impossible choice. Bringing this child into the world would only add another burden.

Yet for the elders, this news was a lifeline. Xiao Xun was their only son; with him gone, the unborn child was their sole hope. In this era, family lineage was everything, and the child was Xiao Xun’s only legacy.

When Madam Sun learned Lin Qiuran was pregnant, she wept and laughed in turn, even slaughtering the family’s chickens to make broth for her. Neither of them touched the soup, and when Lin Qiuran demurred, the elders did not eat either.

Though Madam Sun never voiced it, her wishes were clear: she hoped Lin Qiuran would keep the child.

If it were the original owner, perhaps she would have agreed. But Lin Qiuran had already made up her mind. She would not keep the child. Her only concern now was the lack of medical care—terminating a pregnancy here could be dangerous. She sometimes felt pity for Madam Sun and Xiao Daishi, but such thoughts were fleeting. In moments like these, pitying others meant dooming herself.

What troubled Lin Qiuran now was how to tell Madam Sun. The old woman had just lost a son; if Lin Qiuran spoke of ending the pregnancy, she might not survive the blow. If anything happened to her, Lin Qiuran would become the villain. Madam Sun had been attentive these past two days, always cooking for her, and Lin Qiuran did not wish her harm.

But the pregnancy was already over two months along; much more delay, and it would be too late.

After two days cooped up inside, Lin Qiuran decided to go for a walk, hoping to find inspiration—perhaps even a chance to send word to her own family.

Stepping outside, she passed through the village. In the past, with two men at home, the Xiao family had managed well, but lately, all the villagers she overheard spoke with regret, lamenting the loss of tall, capable Xiao Xun, a skilled hunter.

That day, as Lin Qiuran walked out, she heard someone say, “Isn’t that the Xiao family’s daughter-in-law? Looks like she’s recovered. At least there’s a child—so the Xiao line won’t end.”

Another replied, “That’s not certain. The Lin family must have heard by now—they’ll surely come to take her home. Who would let their daughter stay a widow after just marrying? She’ll be remarried, no doubt.”

Lin Qiuran breathed a sigh of relief. Her family knew—she needn’t worry about sending word. She had no plans to remarry, but it was a good excuse to go home first.

“And what about the child?” someone else said. “Once it’s born, it’ll be motherless. No father, and now no mother—how pitiful.”

“Well, that’s fate. The Xiao family can raise it. At least they’ll have something to remember him by.”

“It would be best if she stayed. Once married, she’s a Xiao—she can’t just come and go as she pleases.”

Lin Qiuran thought, the child was pitiful, Madam Sun was pitiful—but wasn’t the original owner pitiful too? Only eighteen, barely college age in her own world.

Drawing a deep breath, Lin Qiuran felt even more determined to leave. In her previous life, her parents had been cooks for village banquets, and she had picked up their skills. Later, with the rise of short videos, she filmed herself cooking and became a minor online celebrity.

With those skills, she would never go hungry if she returned home.

She wandered the village, making mental preparations for the worst. Returning home, she found Madam Sun had stewed another chicken for her. The old woman looked haggard and spiritless, her eyes red and swollen like walnuts—heartbreaking to witness.

Xiao Daishi sat nearby, eating in silence, skin dark from labor, sighing between bites.

No parent should have to bury a child. Lin Qiuran avoided their gaze, pushed the bowl of chicken forward, and said softly, “You should eat too. Life must go on, even though he’s gone. Don’t let grief ruin your health.”

Madam Sun nodded, her eyes filling with tears again. The three ate in silence, and afterward, Madam Sun cleared the dishes.

Lin Qiuran retreated to her room. The original owner’s health had suffered from shock, and Lin Qiuran herself had been restless these past two days, drifting between sleep and wakefulness. Outside, she heard voices.

“Sister Sun, I’ve come to see my daughter.”

“Come in, in-law. Since Xiao Xun is gone, Qiuran is grieving. Please comfort her.”

A woman entered. Lin Qiuran opened her eyes and sat up. From the address, this must be the original owner’s mother.

The woman, Madam Liu, rushed to the bedside, weeping, “My poor child, barely married and already widowed—how will you live?”

Lin Qiuran opened her mouth. “Mother.”

Madam Liu wiped her eyes, lowered her voice, and said, “I heard you’re pregnant. What do you plan to do? If you ask me, you mustn’t keep the child. Who will raise it? Your in-laws are old, and Xiao Xun—curse his fate—died so young. In the end, the burden will fall on you. As a woman, it’ll be even harder to remarry if you have a child.”

Lin Qiuran lowered her head.

Madam Liu continued, “Listen to me—end the pregnancy and come home with me. In a while, we’ll find you another match.”

Lin Qiuran knew her mother would never agree if she refused to remarry. For now, returning home was the priority. “That’s what I intend. But Xiao Xun just passed—if I do it now, I fear my in-laws won’t survive the blow.”

Madam Liu glanced at her daughter’s belly. “Still, you can’t delay. In a couple of days, I’ll send your brother to fetch you. When you get home, we’ll talk more. Your sister-in-law may be difficult, but she won’t turn her back on you now.”

She lowered her voice. “Be careful these days. Don’t say anything you shouldn’t. It can’t be helped—living always takes precedence over the dead. Xiao Xun simply had no luck; don’t listen to the villagers’ nonsense. None of this is your fault.”

Having married only to face such tragedy, Madam Liu feared people would say her daughter was cursed.

Lin Qiuran nodded. “I’ll do as you say.”

First, she would leave the Xiao family. The rest could wait.

Madam Liu patted her shoulder, urging her to eat well. “Take care of yourself. Xiao Xun is gone; you must live on. Better days are ahead.”

With that, she fished out a few copper coins. “Take these. Your sister-in-law manages the household, so I don’t have much either. Buy yourself something nourishing. If your in-laws beg, don’t be soft-hearted, even if they kneel—don’t agree to have the child!”

“I understand,” said Lin Qiuran.

Madam Liu stayed a little longer before leaving. After she was gone, Lin Qiuran counted the coins—eight in all. She tucked them away and fetched a pouch from the cupboard. Inside was a little over one tael of silver, perhaps her dowry.

Madam Liu said her brother would come fetch her in a few days. When the time came, Lin Qiuran planned to take her dowry with her, leaving half a tael for Madam Sun and Xiao Daishi, so they wouldn’t struggle as much after she left.

As the sun set, Madam Sun knocked at the door, calling Lin Qiuran to dinner.

On the table was leftover chicken from lunch. Madam Sun placed a drumstick in Lin Qiuran’s bowl. “Eat up.”

Lin Qiuran had rice in her bowl, but the elders only had thin gruel.

Their spirits were utterly broken. Lin Qiuran felt miserable too, but thinking of her own future, she knew she had to put herself first. If she ever had money, she would come visit them often. With Xiao Xun gone and no other children, the two elders would be left all alone.

After dinner, Lin Qiuran offered to help clean up, but Madam Sun refused. “Go rest in your room.”

Lin Qiuran still didn’t know how to tell Madam Sun her family would be taking her home. With the old woman acting this way, she truly couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Night had fallen. Lin Qiuran decided to sleep early, but outside, Madam Sun’s voice called softly, “Qiuran, are you asleep? Your father and I would like to talk to you.”

Lin Qiuran thought they must be coming to persuade her to keep the child.

It was bound to happen sooner or later. She put on her jacket and opened the door. “Father, Mother, please come in.”

Xiao Daishi entered, head bowed, silent, while Madam Sun managed a smile at Lin Qiuran—though her smile was sadder than weeping.

Madam Sun spoke first: “Qiuran, Xiao Xun did you wrong, leaving you so soon after marriage. We, the Xiao family, have let you down. Your father and I have discussed it. You’re still young, with your whole life ahead of you. You can’t stop living just because Xiao Xun is gone.

“It will be hard to remarry with a child, so we wondered… would you let us adopt you as our daughter? We’ll give you a dowry and help you remarry. As for the child—let it go, so you can have a better future.”