Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s
Chapter 79 - 077 Plan

Chapter 79: 077 Plan

Chen Biao went back home, the more he thought about it, the more unsettled he felt. A few tables of celebratory wine had already been set up at home, but he didn’t manage to marry the bride, nor claim the child. Though he’d recovered the gambling debt, he’d wasted the money on the wine. Not only that—he still felt as though he’d been played. He, of all people, had been toyed with by a group of women.

Seeing Tian Sangsang’s son today made him restless—he desperately wanted a son.

Zhao Chun was wiping the table with a cloth, sneaking glances back at Chen Biao while stifling continuous laughter. Watching Brother Biao suffer a loss today was deeply satisfying. But for him, wasn’t this also an opportunity?

The tablecloth was greasy, and Zhao Chun suppressed the urge to gag. He positioned himself to the side, lowering his gaze obediently. "Brother Biao, what’s troubling you?"

"Speak properly! What’s with all this refined nonsense—who’s it for?" Chen Biao responded with a slap to Zhao Chun’s forehead. Troubling him? Well, what could trouble him other than Tian Sangsang’s son? He crossed his legs, exasperated. "You tell me—what else would I be troubled about? Isn’t it about Tian Sangsang’s son?"

Damn it! Zhao Chun rubbed his head, forcing a servile smile. "Want a son? That’s simple. Brother Biao, in this world, there’s nothing money can’t solve. If you pay up, Tian Sangsang will hand over her son willingly."

"I didn’t shell out money? I gave a betrothal gift of 358 yuan!" Chen Biao’s irritation flared—358 yuan! That was more than anyone else in the village, yet spending celebratory wine money like this was a complete waste.

Zhao Chun secretly curled his lips in disdain, thinking, "How cheap—358 yuan wasn’t even a dowry; it was someone else’s gambling debt."

"Brother Biao, think about it. Did that money ever reach Tian Sangsang’s hands? That money was for her third uncle’s family. Tian Sangsang didn’t get a single penny, so why would she agree?"

After a week in the village, Zhao Chun had picked up on some things. For instance, Chen Biao—he was the local village bully. He had murky connections with law enforcement in town, which allowed him to run small gambling dens without being caught. Even the village chief couldn’t rein him in. When Zhao Chun eventually escaped back home, he’d make sure his family wiped out this entire filth hole.

And Tian Sangsang—she was the village outcast, treated like a rat that everyone wanted to beat. Zhao Chun had seen her today, and she completely shattered his perception of women—or rather, his perception of his fellow countrymen.

Are you sure she wasn’t an African gold miner?

"You got a plan?" Chen Biao shot him a sideways glance; it seemed paying money was inevitable.

"Ahem, Brother Biao, let me give it a try. As long as you’re willing to pay, she’ll definitely agree to sell you her son."

"I think she dotes on her son too much," Chen Biao replied.

"Doting doesn’t compare to money," Zhao Chun said dismissively. "It’s not about whether she’s willing; it’s about whether the money is enough."

"You’ve got a slick tongue," Chen Biao chuckled heartily. "Fine, I’ll leave this matter to you. Remember, the money can’t exceed 400 yuan."

"Got it. Leave it to me, Brother Biao," Zhao Chun patted his chest firmly. "So, about..."

"If it works, you won’t have to pay back the remaining two hundred-plus yuan you owe."

That was exactly what he’d been waiting for! Finally, he could leave this godforsaken, backward mountain village!

...

At night, the kerosene lamp was extinguished, and moonlight poured into the room like water.

On the bed, Meng Shuyan was already sound asleep, her breathing soft and even.

Tian Sangsang stopped fanning her son, reaching out to check his little forehead—it was slightly damp.

Ah, summer heat. It was unbearable, especially in a remote mountain village like this. Tian Sangsang always left the windows open when sleeping, but even so, it was stiflingly hot. There weren’t many mosquitoes in the house, just heat—heat that was relentless, even without a blanket. She owned an air conditioner, but even if she pulled it out, it was useless; an electric fan required electricity, too! And the most maddening thing about this backward mountain village was that there was no electricity!

So, cooling down could only rely on the most primitive method—fanning.

Closing her eyes, she activated her consciousness to enter the space. Tian Sangsang headed straight to the courtyard house, pressed the air conditioner’s switch, and sat down with a heavy sigh of relief. As cool air enveloped her body, she stretched contentedly. But enjoying this comfort alone left her feeling guilty. She needed to make money, build a proper house—once she had money, she could bring other items out and offer convincing explanations.

Sitting there, Tian Sangsang couldn’t help but reflect on her life. Thinking back to the time she had traveled here, she realized her plans consisted solely of weight loss and whitening skin, with no clear plans for the future.

Tian Sangsang used to be a liberal arts student; her major leaned heavily toward humanities, which made finding a job difficult, especially since she hadn’t attended a teacher-training university. At the time, she had thought—if only she had attended a teacher-training school, being a teacher would mean a secure iron rice bowl. During college, she worked hard to obtain English certifications, later becoming a translator after graduation. However, her English was still below the level of more specialized professionals, whether in written or spoken forms. Her accent was heavily influenced by her hometown’s dialect, making oral communication particularly taxing. After a few years as a translator, she was exhausted and switched to working in a company’s sales department. Sales was indeed better than translating since it combined English and Chinese skills, plus had commissions. But in hindsight, her biggest regret remained not choosing science over humanities back then. Nearly all her former classmates who were smart had opted for science, which led to broader employment opportunities.

However, upon deeper reflection, did choosing between liberal arts or sciences—or even a particular major—really decide one’s career path? Often, work bore no relation to the knowledge accumulated during the first twenty-plus years of life.

Now, thrust back into the 1980s—what could she do? Her skills in English seemed useless in this era; she couldn’t even find an English-related job. Moreover, the original "her," due to body image issues, hadn’t even finished high school. Claiming she knew English was absurd—who could possibly believe it? She didn’t even have decent Russian skills, let alone English—she couldn’t treat the government like the FBI! That’s it—her pathway as an English major was completely blocked.

Tian Sangsang also decided against going back to school or attempting college. This was a time when hustle meant success—an era of opportunity and risk, unlike later times when diplomas held significant weight. Looking at how wealthy tycoons achieved success later, many had risen during this very period, slowly climbing the ranks. At this time, vocational education was more popular than pursuing a full college degree, but the future would see a downturn in state-owned companies, with countless employees laid off. Having technical skills remained the key—no matter the era, it would always provide a way out.

However, at this moment, Tian Sangsang found herself stuck in her old ways. In her previous life, she had lived too hastily, unable to make her own choices. Now, though she had a chance to slow down, she still couldn’t determine her future path. It seemed that life was inherently beyond one’s control. Studying was merely a way to secure better job prospects; working was merely a way to secure a better life. When she paused to look back, she didn’t know when she’d lost sight of her direction. All she could do was follow the crowd’s footsteps and march forward. But what did she truly want most??? This was a long journey of self-discovery.