Rebirth in the 1980s: The Spicy Wife（Chapter 4: Same Surname, Different Fates!）

Xia Xiaolan's father, Xia Dajun, was a man of action rather than words, a brute through and through.

Fighting over water channels, disputing over land, Xia Dajun was strong and robust, always ready to fight wherever the Xia family pointed him.

Xia Xiaolan thought, Xia Dajun was a blockhead, caring only for the extended family and neglecting his own, a true fool. Among the three Xia brothers, Xia Dajun was the second and the only one who didn't have a son. Xia Dajun felt he couldn't hold his head high without a son and often scolded Liu Fen, sometimes even resorting to violence when drunk.

Even his own daughter, Xia Xiaolan, was nothing more than a burden in his eyes.

It wasn't that Xia Dajun had no ambition for Xia Xiaolan; the aesthetic standards of the time were limited. Xia Xiaolan was indeed beautiful, but her fox-like appearance only appealed to young men, while their elders disapproved of her, thinking her a homewrecker who would disrupt the entire family.

In contrast, Xia Xiaolan's cousin, Xia Ziyu, had a round face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, appearing dignified and proper, everyone's idea of a good girl's look.

Xia Xiaolan was a good-for-nothing, but Xia Ziyu wasn't particularly bright either as a child. However, after finishing middle school, she suddenly became enlightened, her grades improving by leaps and bounds, and this year, she actually managed to get into a university in the capital—a golden phoenix raised by the Xia family. Xia Dajun disliked his own daughter but was very fond of his niece.

The able-bodied men of the Xia family went to repair the river embankment to earn a living for Xia Ziyu... Xia Ziyu left for the capital with over 500 yuan collected by the Xia family. They feared she would spend a lot in the city, so the entire family worked tirelessly like old oxen to support Xia Ziyu, the university student.

Xia Xiaolan's situation was dire; after running into the pillar, she didn't even go to the hospital, just letting the barefoot doctor at the health station wrap her wounds casually.

Truly, the same surname but different fates.

Thinking of the original owner, Xia Xiaolan couldn't help but sigh.

Her excel-lent cousin was indeed a tough cookie. The countryside folks might not understand, but Xia Xiaolan knew that university tuition was free during this era, and the state would even provide a monthly living stipend for each student, more than enough to cover personal expenses... Arriving in the capital in 1983 with 500 yuan was definitely the treatment of a well-off beauty.

Xia Xiaolan had no issue with Xia Ziyu enjoying such treatment.

However, looking at the group of Xia family members, none were as thin as Liu Fen, who looked like she wouldn't yield an ounce of oil even thrown into a pot. Yet Xia Ziyu's mother, also wearing clothes with patches, had a rosy complexion and hands that were not as dry and cracked as Liu Fen's.

The most exploited was Xia Xiaolan's own family.

Xia Dajun was willing to be an old ox, but Xia Xiaolan was indignant for Liu Fen.

"My dad will be back soon; let's see what he chooses, his niece or his daughter."

Xia Xiaolan's incident with the pillar was still unknown to Xia Dajun, but he would return from work eventually. Xia Xiaolan decided to give her original father a chance.

Liu Fen sensed something was off and feared Xia Xiaolan would confront her father: "Your dad naturally loves you, and your cousin is..."

Xia Xiaolan smiled, and Liu Fen's own words trailed off, her confidence crumbling.

It was common for fathers to favor nephews over daughters in rural areas. However, favoring a niece over a daughter was something Liu Fen had never seen. Xia Dajun genuinely disliked Xia Xiaolan, blaming her for Liu Fen's injuries during childbirth, which prevented her from having more children.

The mother and daughter fell into a heavy silence.

Xia Xiaolan took a look at the dilapidated house and said, "I'll go gather some firewood."

She wanted to take the opportunity to observe Dahe Village and see if there was any way to make some money. Without money in her pocket, she would have no confidence, and even the best plans couldn't be implemented.

Dahe Village was very poor.

Of course, in 1983, there weren't many villages in the country that weren't poor.

Poverty was a deep-rooted issue caused by geographical and historical circumstances, as well as the limitations of the times. Scratching a living from the earth, just being able to fill one's belly was considered fortunate.

As the sun set in the west, a few women were washing clothes by the river.

As the name Dahe Village suggests, a large river flowed past the village. In terms of resources, the fish in the river were technically ownerless; one could catch them and sell them for money. The villagers weren't afraid to go to the city to sell fish... The fish were naturally bred, and this section of the river belonged to the village, collective property of the villagers. Occasionally catching a few fish to satisfy a craving was fine, but selling them was not allowed.

Xia Xiaolan had no moral qualms about secretly catching fish to sell. The only possession she and Liu Fen had was 20 kilograms of sweet potatoes, and when faced with starvation, there was no room for moral purity.

Unfortunately, she had no tools and lacked the skill to catch fish with her bare hands.

Reeds grew thick and tall on both sides of the river. If it were May, Xia Xiaolan might have been able to pick some reed leaves to sell to city dwellers for making zongzi (rice dumplings wrapped in reed leaves). But with the Dragon Boat Festival already passed, this item was not in high demand, and even earning a meager living was difficult.

Making and selling straw mats and baskets?

In the original owner's memories, many in Dahe Village had this skill, and during the slack season, every household would weave some straw mats and baskets. They wouldn't fetch a high price in the countryside, and in the city, these items lacked competitiveness. In this era, there was little interest in folk crafts, and city people were eager for agricultural products like meat, eggs, and milk.

Xia Xiaolan gazed at the river, pondering. Having risen to a senior executive position in a major corporation, could she really starve in 1983? To break away from the Xia family, she must have the ability to support herself and Liu Fen. Before the 20 kilograms of sweet potatoes ran out, she needed to secure a starting capital.

The countryside was not an option; she needed to go to the city to seek opportunities.

Profit came from the circulation of goods, and there was no profit to be made from the impoverished villagers. Except for industrial goods like matches, soap, and fertilizer, rural people in 1983 could be self-sufficient... The women by the river pointed and whispered about Xia Xiaolan.

While considering her plan for making a living, Xia Xiaolan gathered dry branches along the riverbank, ignoring the gossipy women. To save her energy, she walked a bit further to a reed bank near the cowshed, a place so smelly that even the reed cutters were unwilling to come.

Venturing deeper, Xia Xiaolan scared off two wild ducks, which flew out of the reeds, flapping their wings and quacking as if to lead her away. Xia Xiaolan's eyes lit up; she wasn't fooled by the ducks' decoy. She carefully searched the reeds and found a well-hidden duck nest.

The nest made of soft grass contained a cluster of green-shelled duck eggs. Xia Xiaolan, who had signed billion-yuan contracts, found herself grinning foolishly at the nest of wild duck eggs. She picked them up, holding each one up to the light to check—they were all fresh and unincubated.

There were 12 eggs in total!

As the saying goes, "Make use of the mountains if you live near them; make use of the water if you live near it." With the reeds by the river, Xia Xiaolan was determined to make a living in 1983. Resisting the urge to further plunder the reed beds, she wrapped the 12 duck eggs in her clothes and carried the dry firewood back to the dilapidated house.

"Mom, let's roast some sweet potatoes to eat."

With a full stomach, there would be strength to work.