Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s
Chapter 76: Launching Dreams Amid Self-Reflection

Chapter 76: Launching Dreams Amid Self-Reflection

It feels like the story has been launched, but the male protagonist’s father still hasn’t appeared, and the story seems like it hasn’t even started yet.

Currently, the main characters haven’t been fully introduced. The slightly more important ones remaining are probably these: Zhao Chun (male), Jiang Jinghuai (male), Lu Chi (male), Guan Kunling (female), Li Yibai (male), Jia Wenxiu (female)...

Special reminder: the female protagonist’s career arc isn’t about eating and drinking, and it hasn’t started yet. This story will touch on the entertainment industry of the 1980s. The female protagonist’s career arc includes cultural entertainment and beauty, as well as two relatively peculiar and magical elements—I’ll stop here for now. But rest assured, it won’t disappoint you.

Our great female protagonist could never just open a small shop! Our goal is the stars and the vast oceans. We must have the world in our hearts to set our sights on the universe!

But don’t worry, it won’t be too exaggerated, because going overboard would instantly turn it into a Mary Sue story.

Let me say a few extra words here, haha. I’ve heard that Military Wife novels always turn into cultivation or fantasy stories toward the end. Personally, I don’t like overly dramatic characters, which led to me not having read many Military Wife period novels. There’s not a single Military Wife novel that I’ve read from start to finish—usually just a few Chapters at the beginning before I got too busy. So I don’t really know the common tropes of Military Wife novels and can only write according to my own ideas.

A month ago, I made up my mind to see how my peers write and approached it with a learning mindset. I stumbled upon Ba Pi Da Da. Ba Pi Da Da is an author with a unique style and life wisdom. Seeing her book review section and introduction, I didn’t dare to look—I felt anxious and panicked. At first glance, I knew she was the type of author I wouldn’t dare to read. The reason? I really don’t like overly dramatic characters, and I overdosed on tragic stories when I was younger. Too many tragedies—physical, emotional, in every genre imaginable—tragedy overload, which left me traumatized and now I’m scared of it.

But I truly admire Ba Pi Da Da. I know her works are excellent, even if I don’t dare read them.

That day, I steeled myself and opened one of her novels for the first time. It was *Rebirth: Striving as a Rural Wife*—that should be it. I can’t remember the name of the female protagonist. I thought, this might be my first period novel that I’ll read through to the end. I comforted myself: Kid, don’t be scared. Dramatic characters are nothing; they’ll eventually be countered by the female protagonist. Isn’t reading about the process what it’s all about?

I read three or four Chapters and was blown away—Ba Da Da doesn’t disappoint! Her style is so distinctive, so close to life! After reading three or four Chapters, it got late, so I went to sleep. The next day, I opened her novel again, intending to continue, but tragedy struck. My restless fingers clicked on the review section, where I saw comments praising the novel but saying the epilogue had ruined it—it made people uncomfortable. The epilogue! What happened in the epilogue? I couldn’t resist and clicked on it.

It hit my sore point, hit my sore point, hit my sore point. Saying it three times because it’s that serious!

The epilogue was about the female protagonist’s daughter. Apparently, there was a man (who seemed to have had some conflict with her) who fixated on her. When she grew up and they reunited, after only two or three meetings, he forcibly KISSED her, then forcibly HAD SEX with her.

Mind you, this man didn’t use protection, and the female protagonist’s daughter got pregnant. She was apparently just eighteen—a blank slate. What’s more, she didn’t like this man at all.

I was absolutely enraged—this kind of man is the absolute worst! She’s still in school; at eighteen, you forcibly impregnate her, without taking any precaution. Have you even considered how early pregnancy would ruin her reputation? How she’d face the neighbors and community gossip?! My chest was burning with fury, no outlet to vent!

The female protagonist’s daughter quit school in China and went abroad alone. Years later, she came back with a child. It seems that during that time, she still didn’t like the man. Then the man decided to use the child as his way to pursue her and win her over. All this left me feeling like such a good girl had been ruined for life. She never had a chance to fall in love, never gained the right to choose whom she liked, and ended up being forcibly taken. Just thinking about it makes me angry. When the man first assaulted her, he didn’t even truly love her, but acted out of some twisted sense of revenge. Only later did he realize he loved her.

The result is self-explanatory: I abandoned the novel, even though I had only read three or four Chapters. I deeply regret clicking on that epilogue. It reminded me of some other tragic stories I’ve read in the past. I won’t list them all, but back then, it brought to mind a foreign classic movie I like quite a lot: *Sicilian Legend.* Tall trees in the forest attract the wind. Being too beautiful can be its own curse. In fact, people who are excessively beautiful rarely have happy endings. Sicily’s beauty remains, but never again its legend.

"Many admire your transient reflections, your beauty, in lies or in truth. Only one truly loved the pilgrim’s heart you carried, and the traces of years left upon your sorrow-stricken face."

Sigh, Ba Pi Da Da—an author I respect and fear in equal measure!

When I’m idle, I can’t keep my mouth shut, so let’s get back on track. Just take this as random musing; don’t overthink it.

...Launching and updating...

This isn’t my first time launching a work, but I still have so much to say.

Actually, just a while ago, I was feeling a bit defeated—for about a month.

After reflecting, I realized it’s because I’ve been too cautious. I’ve experienced failure, horrible failure. I want each work to outdo the last, so I overthink everything, worrying anxiously. The pressure, both internal and external, weighs on me like a mountain, and I’m afraid I’ll write poorly and let readers down. I’m always comparing myself to others and then tearing myself down until I feel completely worthless. But recently, I’ve been adjusting my mindset.

Change isn’t instant. Right now, this is my writing level, and while I’ll strive to improve, I can’t leap too far ahead at once—it’s just not realistic.

Some people say my stories aren’t tight enough and my writing leans too much on emotional phrasing. This has always been a flaw of mine. For the Chapters I’ve already drafted, it’s hard to make changes, but for the ones I haven’t written yet, I’ll try to address this issue and improve.

Tomorrow, dear readers, please show your support! Your encouragement is my greatest motivation. I really need it—thank you so much!

After drinking nothing but northwest winds for two months, I can finally embrace the full attendance bonus. Over the past two months, my income was near zero, and it was only thanks to a few generous readers tipping me that I survived. Their support gave me not just the wind but a watermelon to eat—what better relief from the heat while writing than watermelon? But now, no heat-relief is needed—it’s been windy with two typhoons here lately, and it feels like I’ve traveled straight to late autumn.

By the way, that support means official versions. If it’s pirated versions, please don’t spam comments in the review section—it’ll be ignored. I’ve seen too much of it, and my heart can’t take another hit.

Most of you can ignore the previous statement because I know all of you here are loyal supporters of Qidian—you’re reading officially. That comment was aimed at the small, small minority.

Tomorrow, the book launches. On the first day, there will be six updates, five on the second day, four on the third. After that, two or three updates daily depending on the situation. While I’ve felt defeated recently, I’ve still hoarded some drafts—though I’m stingy and reluctant to use them since they’re my safety net. The notification says the VIP Chapter will be activated tomorrow at 12:05 AM. To publish early, I’ll be setting it at midnight five minutes past, and it’ll take about 15 minutes to complete the settings. By then, most of you will probably be asleep, but be sure to subscribe once you wake up. ^_^

Happy reading, everyone! Love you~~! Heart and kisses!

Whether you’re planning to keep reading or not, thank you so much for your continued support. I have nothing to repay you except striving to write better to give back.