I’m a Cute Little Koi [1]

In the previous world, Zhou Jinheng believed in the friendship between him and the young man, patiently waiting for the young man’s turning back. He thought that when the seas dried up and the rocks crumbled, he could wait for a miracle to happen. In the end, he naturally didn’t wait for it. Instead, what he waited for was an invitation card adorned with small roses and someone else’s name.

On it, bold red characters affectionately proclaimed, “Today, the red string is tied, a perfect match is made. Divining for years together until old age, fragrant as the laurel and orchid.” Surprisingly, it was a retro-style wedding from the Republic of China era. The name of the small rose was prominently displayed, right next to the word “Xi¹,” the size of the characters stabbing his eyes and bringing tears to his face.

The love story between the young master of the Lou family and the renowned designer was well-known in the industry. Influential figures and entrepreneurs from the capital attended, all dressed in sharp clothing, coming to offer their best wishes and enjoy a few cups of wedding wine.

Among the guests present, there was only one man whose spirits were low. His pair of melancholy peach blossom eyes were filled with regret, and his disheveled face had a scruffy beard. His suit was wrinkled and didn’t match the festive atmosphere. People who knew him couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise and scrutinize him. After a moment of contemplation, they finally associated the young master of the Zhou family with the unkempt drunkard in front of them.

Those who knew the inside story sighed for a long time, thinking somewhat unkindly, “Serves you right, the once charming young master, for acting recklessly. Otherwise, we would be attending your third wedding anniversary today, and you wouldn’t be looking so forlornly at your ex getting married to someone else on their joyous day. Poor former playboy and lady-killer, it seems you’ve met your match this time!”

As for the head of the Zhou family, seeing his son’s despondent state, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Previously, he and his wife hadn’t paid much attention to Designer Yin, and they even thought that after the young couple got married, they would have a good talk with the designer, instructing him to take good care of their son and not take advantage of his good looks outside, behaving as a dutiful and helpful spouse.

However, the situation took an unexpected turn. Their son ended up being the one involved in romantic entanglements outside, causing a rift and a straightforward breakup. The decisive and bold manner in which it happened would have been appreciated if it hadn’t been their beloved son involved. Unfortunately, it occurred in their family, which darkened their expressions.

Especially since the young man didn’t appear as they had imagined, needing to compromise for their own son. He had his own career and owned a house and a car, even though they were inexpensive basic models. With a man’s starting items all in place, he could easily venture out on his own. Did he really need to rely on someone else to live?

Moreover, he was doing very well. Just choosing a romantic partner showed that he wasn’t limited to their son. On the other hand, their son was the one who seemed useless, loving someone to the point of obsession, unable to control his desires, making mistakes and sulking every day, neglecting work, and getting drunk every day. Little did he know that the renowned designer had the handsome and compelling Mr. Lou by his side now. Looking at their son’s current sorry state, there was little chance he could turn things around. It would be better for him to tidy up and find a fresh start.

The parents of the Zhou family thought indignantly, and the more they thought about it, the more irritated they became. They pinched their son’s arm, expecting a reaction, but he kept staring at Designer Yin with a dazed expression. He seemed completely oblivious to the pain, which infuriated the Zhou family’s parents even more.

At the wedding scene, Mr. Lou’s proposal speech resonated deeply with everyone, adding to the emotional atmosphere.

“I once thought I would grow old alone, but now I just want to thank fate for bringing us together. I used to resent that we reunited too late, but now I feel it’s just right. If it happened too early, maybe I wasn’t mature enough to accommodate all of you. If it happened too late, perhaps you had already held someone else’s hand. But since we met, we should be grateful. I won’t leave you. We will have countless days and nights together, countless joys and laughter, until our hair turns white, and our faces grow old. I will always be with you.”

“My little boy, I love you.” Lou Wang lowered his head and placed a kiss on the moved face of Yin Mingluo, his posture sincere and sacred.

“I, I do!” Without waiting for the officiator to ask, Yin Minglu eagerly answered with clenched fists, looking quite excited.

Lou Wang chuckled and kissed him again amid the cheers of the guests. As for the discordant voice in the crowd, the angry shout of “I don’t agree” from a certain man was ignored. The reason he invited this person was not to show off, but simply because he was also one of the “helpers” and “matchmakers.”

—

The world just awakened, and Yin Minglu, who had just accepted a mission, felt like he couldn’t control his body. However, as if someone had slapped his forehead, something entered his body. He groaned, woke up, and his scattered black pupils gradually focused.

Then he realized that his whole body was immersed in water, the suffocating sensation of almost drowning made him struggle continuously, trying to open his mouth for help, but his mouth was filled with countless water.

Yin Minglu felt powerless, but fortunately, he soon heard footsteps on the bank and earth-shattering cries: “Help! My little baby fell into the water! Don’t stop me; I’m going to save him!”

“Hurry, get me a bamboo pole, quickly pull him up!” Someone went to fetch a bamboo pole to try to fish him out, and someone quickly took off their clothes and shoes, bare-chested, diving into the water, ready to rescue him.

After a flurry of activity, the eight-year-old child from the swift river was finally pulled out. Lying on the ground, he didn’t look too good. His palm-sized face was deathly pale, the skin wrinkled from soaking, and his belly seemed to have taken in a lot of water, pushing up his clothes. Water gushed out of his mouth in a steady stream.

He appeared disoriented, but fortunately, he was still breathing. The village chief sighed in relief.

People with first aid skills rushed over from the crowd, pressing on his stomach, pinching acupoints, and performing a series of techniques. After a while, they managed to squeeze the water out of the child’s stomach. The child coughed a few times, slowly regaining consciousness.

Witnessing this, Luo Hongmei and others embraced the child, shedding tears of joy. It was a touching scene. Since everyone belonged to the same village, they offered words of comfort: “Hongmei, don’t be sad. Xiao Bao² is really lucky! He endured being submerged in water for so long and managed to pull through. They say, ‘Surviving a great disaster brings great fortune.’ Don’t cry.”

“Yeah, take him to the clinic quickly.”

When Yin Minglu woke up, he found himself lying on a bed, and his plump arm ached. His eyes felt heavy as if laden with lead, making it difficult to open them fully. Nevertheless, he managed to glance to the side and saw that he was hooked up to an IV. The bottle looked dirty, and the contents were so murky that he couldn’t discern what kind of liquid it held. The clinic’s environment also seemed quite rudimentary.

An elderly man with reading glasses and gray hair sat in a chair, reading a book while keeping an eye on him. Several people surrounded the bed, their faces expressing concern.

Feeling too tired, Yin Minglu pulled the blanket tighter around his small body, choosing to squint his eyes and take a break while absorbing the situation. After all, nearly drowning right after arriving was not the most pleasant experience.

It turned out he had transmigrated into a book titled “Rebirth in the Eighties: Refusing to Accept the Fate of a Supporting Female Character.” After briefly reviewing the plot, Yin Minglu learned that the general outline was as follows: the village was named Wenshui Village, and during the era of reform and opening up, it was considered quite prosperous. The original owner shared the same name as him, being eight years old this year. Like other children of the same age, he often ran around the mountains, climbed trees to find bird eggs, leading a carefree and lively life.

The only special thing was that he was the only boy in the Yin family. When he was too young to remember, his father fell off a mountain, leaving his mother, Shen Qiuyi, a young widow. Naturally, she cherished her only son, Yin Minglu, as a precious treasure.

The head of the household, Grandma Luo, was also a typical young widow who had taken charge of the family for many years. She had two sons, with the younger son, Yin Minglu’s father, being her favorite. Unfortunately, he passed away, and in her grief, Grandma Luo naturally spoiled the only male descendant left from the second branch. She showered her grandson with love.

As for the couple from the first branch, they were honest and hardworking people who spent most of their lives toiling. They never had a son and ended up with a pair of sisters. Thinking about their daughters eventually marrying and leaving, and with no son to take care of them in their old age, they also relied on Yin Minglu, their nephew. So, from a young age, they treated the original Yin Minglu as their own son.

In summary, the original Yin Minglu was a pampered and cherished family treasure. He was doted on by everyone in the family and enjoyed special treatment. Even when he later went astray, falling victim to deception and becoming involved in gang activities, eventually getting fatally stabbed seven or eight times and dying, the entire family was devastated. Each member mourned at the funeral, grieving profoundly. In an era where the preference for sons over daughters was still prevalent, such tragic events were not uncommon.

However, there was someone who disagreed with the course of events.

That person was the female lead in the book, Yin Yue. From the title alone, it could be inferred that this was a story of a supporting female character reborn in the eighties who refused to accept her fate.

Yin Yuer was one of the sisters born to the couple from the first branch, and specifically, the younger sister. In the original story, she was portrayed as a supporting character with limited intelligence. Although the family invested money in her education, she struggled to excel academically and failed to secure admission to university. Conversely, her elder sister was intelligent, capable, and naturally inclined toward academics, ultimately earning a spot in university.

However, her fortune took a turn when her elder sister fell seriously ill with a high fever just before heading to university. It was discovered the next day that her brain had been damaged by the fever, which lasted for half a month. With the university enrollment at risk, the family made the decision to send the younger sister in her place.

The younger sister thus became a university student. However, given that she entered through unconventional means, her academic performance was subpar. After graduation, she aimed to secure a stable government job, but there was a fee of over two hundred yuan involved. Yin Yue hoped that her family would provide the money for her. At that time, she was also interested in a handsome young man working at the same institution. She not only wanted the job but also pursued her own happiness.

The family initially hesitated, considering the significant amount of over two hundred yuan—equivalent to half a year’s income for the entire family. They had tightened their belts to support their youngest daughter’s education, and they had anticipated that she would start earning money after graduation. However, now they were faced with the prospect of continuing to invest money for her to secure employment.

But in these times, university students were considered precious assets. In the end, the entire family reluctantly agreed. They thought everything was settled, but coincidentally, news came about the original host, Yin Minglu, being seriously injured and near death in Shencheng. The medical expenses were substantial, and the family immediately abandoned their plan to provide financial support for Yin Yuer’s job hunt to pay for the original host’s surgery and treatment. The secure government job was no longer an option.

While the original host died, Yin Yue developed resentment towards him. In a rural setting where males were favored over females, the boy was considered the family’s treasure and root. Yin Yuer had never been treated as well as the original host, and she harbored jealousy from a young age due to the family’s favoritism—her parents were biased, and even her grandmother showed partiality. She had always felt envious.

As she grew older and sought employment and love, the family, for the sake of Yin Minglu, neglected Yin Yue, causing her to miss out on the secure job and lose her chance at love because the handsome young man ended up with another female colleague from their workplace.

So, after her rebirth, Yin Yue’s first action was to deceive the original host, who was catching small fish and shrimp in the shallow river. She told him there were many fish on the other side, luring the unsuspecting child to the deep water. Then, she pushed him into the water and fled.

In the original plot, the original host drowned in this manner. When a passing farmer saw it, it was already too late. With the family losing its only root, the Yin family members were devastated, each on the verge of collapsing.

The original host’s mother, already of a weak disposition, couldn’t bear the blow of losing her husband and son. She hung herself. The old lady aged ten years overnight and remained bedridden for a month before finally getting up.

The murderer, Yin Yue, pretended as if nothing happened, watching the family members grieve in agony.

Following the trajectory of the book, Yin Yue, with her reborn memories encompassing the experiences of two or three decades from her future life, became even more shrewd in this life. She continued to deceive her sister, who was suffering from a high fever, handing over her university admission spot to her. As the village’s only university student, Yin Yue later targeted her future prosperous brother-in-law, scheming to take away her sister’s marital happiness.

This led to her own sister’s depression and eventual demise.

While Yin Yue, with her foresight from a past life and the cooperative spirit of her acquired brother-in-law, followed the country’s policies and the trends of the times. They opened a clothing store in the city, invested in real estate, stocks, and securities in advance, leading a prosperous and thriving life. Despite her own affluence, due to resentment for the partiality from her natal family since childhood, she neglected them, leaving them in poverty and destitution.

Therefore, the full name of the book is “Rebirth in the 80s: The Supporting Female Character Refuses to Accept Fate.” She doesn’t accept her fate and retaliates against everyone who wronged her. While apologizing, she takes away her sister’s university admission spot and steals her brother-in-law, living a comfortable life without caring about the hardships of her natal family.

On the other hand, the original host, due to excessive indulgence in the past life, lived recklessly, engaged in mischievous activities, and even led astray into a dark path. In the end, he paid the price with his life. In this life, having done nothing significant, he was just over eight years old when he fell victim to Yin Yue, his cousin.

He would have met an untimely death if it weren’t for Yin Minglu’s timely intervention.

And the original host’s wish was to treat his family well and lead them to prosperity. Since he accepted the mission, Yin Minglu would not allow the Yin family’s life to continue in such misery. He would do his best to change the fate of each family member.

—

When he opened his eyes again, Yin Minglu’s body had improved significantly. He found himself lying in the original host’s room, covered with a small floral quilt. A woman with a graceful face was tucking him in, patting his cheek and letting out a tired sigh.

Without needing to think, he knew this was the original host’s mother, Shen Qiuyi.

“Mom.” The child on the bed called softly, his voice still hoarse from the water, like a broken little drum, slightly husky yet very tender.

And somewhat obedient.

“Xiao Bao, are you awake?” Yin Minglu’s sudden call startled Shen Qiuyi, who began to feel around the child, checking his forehead’s temperature and patting his little stomach, expressing concern, “How’s your body? Does it still hurt?”

“Yeah!” Yin Minglu gave a small yawn, then nodded, letting the woman examine his small body, saying, “My body is fine now, just hungry.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Qiuyi cried out of relief, grabbing his tender little hand and giving it a firm pat. “It’s good that you’re awake. You’re so mischievous, running to the reservoir for no reason. I’ve told you many times, it’s deep there, and you still went. You almost lost your life. If Old Man Li next door hadn’t seen you and shouted for the villagers to rescue you, you would have been gone! You troublesome kid! You’ve been spoiled too much.”

Shen Qiuyi was generally a mild woman. She never spoke loudly to anyone and never hit the child. Her scolding this time was due to being frightened. After her husband’s death, her son became her everything, her root, and her only reliance for the future. She couldn’t imagine what she would do if she lost her son as well, leaving her as a widow.

Before Yin Minglu could speak, hearing the commotion in the room, Grandma Luo also entered, looking pleasantly surprised. “Xiao Bao is awake!” After saying this, the assertive old lady saw Shen Qiuyi crying next to her, her slender body twitching, only crying without saying a word. She instantly became displeased, glaring with her large copper bell-like eyes and scolding, “Daughter-in-law, what are you still dawdling for? Haven’t you seen Xiao Bao woke up? You’re crying, crying, crying, crying without stopping, truly ominous! The child says he’s hungry, and you, as a mother, stand there like a wooden post without arranging anything to eat! I’ve simmered chicken soup; quickly bring it over to feed Xiao Bao.”

“Oh.” After being scolded by her mother-in-law, Shen Qiuyi, with well-developed tear ducts, indeed stopped crying. She nodded obediently and went out to bring the food.

“Grandma, don’t scold Mom. She was just frightened.” Yin Minglu tugged at Grandma Luo’s sleeve, speaking obediently.

“Still defending your mom! It’s all because your mom didn’t watch you properly! Otherwise, could you have gone to the river?” Grandma Luo scolded, clearly blaming this daughter-in-law for the mishap with her grandson. She had deeply resented Shen Qiuyi for not fitting her taste—sharp chin, meek temperament, and a weak body. Clearly, she couldn’t bear children. Indeed, after giving birth, there was no breast milk for the child, so her grandson was born thin and weak, plagued by various illnesses. He only began to thrive after the age of three.

However, at three years old, her beloved second son met his end, falling off the familiar mountain road. At that moment, Grandma Luo’s vision darkened, suspecting that this daughter-in-law brought bad luck. If it weren’t for the fact that her precious grandson couldn’t be left without a mother, she would have dealt with her long ago.

The relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had never been harmonious. Now, with the incident involving the beloved grandson, Grandma Luo became even more infuriated, feeling that her daughter-in-law had not taken good care of him.

Seeing that her grandson had more to say, Grandma Luo waved her hand and said, “Don’t speak well of your mom. I know what’s in your heart. Get up quickly; I’ve simmered chicken soup for you. You’ve just fallen into the water, and your body needs a good supplement.”

“Okay~” The child obediently got up and ran to the dining table, sitting down. Grandma Luo felt soft-hearted, urged from the kitchen, and Shen Qiuyi immediately brought out a large pot of fragrant chicken soup.

“Xiao Bao, Grandma will get you a chicken leg and some steamed buns to fill your stomach. Don’t rush to drink the chicken soup; Grandma will skim off the oil for you to drink later.” Grandma Luo, holding a bowl and spoon, busied herself for her grandson, leaving Shen Qiuyi, the mother, with nothing to do but sit quietly.

“Delicious!” Yin Minglu bit into the juicy chicken leg in small bites, her little feet happily kicking a few times. His lively appearance made the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law burst into laughter.

At this moment, Yin Yue returned home.

The fifteen-sixteen-year-old girl had a calm expression on her face, but as soon as she entered the room, her eyes darted around. The wandering gaze revealed an inherent sense of guilt.

Especially when she saw the tender child at the dining table, holding a small porcelain bowl and eating happily, her pupils instinctively contracted, and she shifted her gaze evasively, wondering if her cousin had betrayed her. She never expected this little guy to have such a big luck, surviving even in such deep waters.

Then her gaze shifted to the delicious dishes on the dining table. She widened her eyes in disbelief, ran to the backyard, and confirmed that there was indeed one less cackling old hen in the chicken coop.

She didn’t expect that Yin Minglu just fell into the water and nothing happened, yet Grandma Luo actually killed the egg-laying old hen at home to make soup for her grandson. Looking at the various dishes on the table, such as minced garlic shoots with diced meat, and braised pork with vermicelli, all with a hint of meatiness.

Thinking about her own limited meat consumption since her rebirth, Yin Yue suddenly felt jealous, and her eyes turned red. She thought, why couldn’t this cousin just die already?

Author’s note: I have finally started to dabble in historical fiction!

——Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated the nutrient solution for me~

T/N: Her name’s actually just Yin Yue the ‘er’ is kind of like an endearment(?) you could say from families. Something like that so anyway I’ll be switching between ‘Yin Yue’ and ‘Yin Yue’er’ throughout this arc. I’ll only be using ‘Yin Yue’er’ if the dialogues are in the family’s POV or like thoughts, other than that I’ll be using Yin Yue .

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