I transmigrated into a retro novel set in the late 1970s and 80s. Unfortunately, I didn't become the beloved, golden-child protagonist, Lily Harper. Instead, I became the daughter of the "wicked stepmother" who was destined to be brutally slapped in the face by karma. In the original story, the stepmother targeted the darling protagonist at every turn. Ultimately, she destroyed herself and dragged her three children down to a miserable end. Everyone said she was pure evil, but in my eyes, she was the best mother one could ask for, and she absolutely didn't deserve such a tragic fate. Besides, living in an era of rapid change, full of opportunities and challenges, who has the time to play petty games and fight over a man? No, no, no. Making money is obviously the top priority! 01 I woke up inside a historical fiction novel. The bad news: I wasn't the universally adored protagonist, Lily Harper. I was the daughter of the "wicked stepmother" who was destined for a spectacular downfall. According to the original plot, shortly after the protagonist Lily was born, her mother died in a tragic accident. Because of this, the Harper family treated her like absolute royalty. From her grandmother, Mrs. Harper, to her father, and even her uncles, everyone spoiled her rotten. Lily's father was in the military, stationed away from home year-round. To ensure his daughter was taken care of, he married the "wicked stepmother," Martha Jenkins, to be Lily's new mom. Martha was hardworking, quick on her feet, and ran the household with fiery efficiency. She even gave Mr. Harper twin boys and another daughter. Logically, this blended family should have lived a decent life. However, a wicked stepmother is a wicked stepmother for a reason. If she didn't stir up trouble, she wouldn't live up to the title. Martha became jealous that Lily was pampered by the entire family, while her own three children were treated like second-class citizens. Gradually, her resentment grew, and she began making life difficult for the young protagonist at every opportunity. But Lily, with her "golden child" plot armor, managed to turn every bad situation into a stroke of luck. Not only did Martha fail to gain any advantage, but her cruel stepmother antics were constantly exposed. She became infamous in their small town, despised by everyone. By extension, her three children became outcasts too. Years later, Mr. Harper returned from the military. He had risen rapidly through the ranks, becoming a high-ranking officer at a young age. And by his side was a beautiful, elegant woman. Shockingly, it was Lily's biological mother, Evelyn Sterling, who was supposed to be dead! It turned out that Evelyn was the heiress to a powerful, old-money family on the East Coast. The Sterling family wielded immense political and financial power, and they looked down on a poor soldier like Mr. Harper. Shortly after Evelyn eloped with him, her family tracked her down. Right after giving birth to Lily, Evelyn was forcibly taken back by her family. To make Mr. Harper give up, the Sterlings even faked her accidental death. Over the years, Evelyn had never stopped thinking about her husband and daughter, living in constant depression. As Evelyn's parents grew older, they softened. Seeing their daughter so heartbroken all these years, they eventually felt remorse. Later, when they heard that Mr. Harper had become a high-ranking officer with a limitless future, they finally agreed to let the two reunite. When they met again, it was like a match to gasoline; they were inseparable. Mr. Harper's return was specifically to divorce Martha. But as soon as he arrived, the townsfolk bombarded him with stories of how the wicked stepmother Martha had abused Lily. Consumed by rage, Mr. Harper dragged Martha out of the house by her hair. In front of the entire town, he beat her mercilessly. He used the combat skills he learned in the military on the woman who had cared for his aging mother, managed his household, and borne him three children. Martha suffered four broken ribs, two fractured arms, and a permanently disabled right leg. Then, she was thrown out onto the street without a second thought. Her two sons and daughter were kicked out right alongside her. Lily was welcomed back to her wealthy East Coast family with great fanfare. Her golden-child aura continued to work its magic. The moment the Sterling family saw this soft, adorable little girl, they fell completely in love. Lily became the pampered princess of the Sterling dynasty. Mr. Harper, backed by the Sterling family's resources, skyrocketed through the political and military ranks. Later on, Lily would encounter the heir to a massive financial empire, an A-list movie star, and a tech genius. All of these elite men were inevitably captivated by her innocent and pure nature, showering her with unconditional love and protection. In the end, Lily married the financial heir and had twins—a brilliant, cunning son and a sweet, adorable daughter who inherited her lucky charm... If you had to summarize Lily's life in a few words, it would be: She had it all. And what about the wicked stepmother, Martha? After being beaten and thrown out, she didn't receive medical attention in time, leaving her permanently disabled. With the Harper family dropping hints, no one in town dared to help her. To feed her three starving children, she had no choice but to turn to sex work in the slums. One day, while bringing a client home, she was accidentally discovered by her two sons, who had been let out of school early. Seeing someone mistreating their mother, the boys attacked the client. They were only teenagers, frail and malnourished. The client, however, was a massive, drunken brute. During the struggle, the client beat the two boys to death with his bare hands. Witnessing her sons die right in front of her, Martha completely lost her mind. To care for her disabled, mentally unstable mother, Martha's daughter walked down the same dark path, becoming a sex worker out of desperation. Being so young and lacking any knowledge of safe practices, she soon contracted a severe STD and died in agonizing pain. On a stormy night, Martha, who had been insane for a long time, suddenly had a moment of clarity. The horrific memories of her children's brutal deaths flooded back. In utter despair, Martha used a piece of coarse rope to hang herself. I still remember the comments section when the author released the chapter of the wicked stepmother's death. It was a digital celebration. [Good riddance! She got what she deserved.] [That's what she gets for bullying our precious Lily!] [Ahhh, the author finally killed off that bitch!] [Anyone who bullies our girl deserves this ending.] [That disgusting character is finally gone.] [You guys don't even know, I wanted to jump into the book and slap her myself.] ... Unfortunately, the character I transmigrated into was Martha's daughter. The girl who was forced down a dark path at a young age. The girl who contracted a disease and died in agony. 02 I was still reeling from the original plot. Just then, a chubby, cherubic little girl toddled toward me. The moment I saw her, the gloom in my chest dissipated. Only one thought remained in my head: [Ahhh, she's so cute! [She really is the perfect protagonist! [How could the stepmother bear to hurt such an adorable little girl?!] Needless to say, this was the protagonist, Lily Harper. She was holding a piece of candy—a rare treat in this era—and her innocent, pure smile was sweeter than the candy itself. My heart melted. I was just about to reach out and pinch her chubby cheeks. But at that exact moment, Lily tripped over a rock and fell hard onto the dirt. "Waaaah—!" She immediately burst into loud, heartbroken sobs. I scrambled forward to help her up. But my host body was just a child, three years younger than Lily. With these short little arms and legs, I couldn't run fast even if I wanted to. Right then, Mrs. Harper beat me to it, rushing out of the main house like a gust of wind. "Oh, my sweet girl, don't cry! Show Grandma where it hurts. "Don't cry, don't cry, Grandma will kiss it better." Watching their tender interaction, I felt a warmth in my heart. In the original book, Mrs. Harper was the one who spoiled Lily the most. In an era that heavily favored boys over girls, she didn't show favoritism to Martha's twin sons. Instead, she devoted all her love to her granddaughter, Lily. Their heartwarming family moments had brought me to tears more than once while reading. Seeing such a cozy scene, I couldn't help but step forward and say: "Grandma, don't worry. Lily just..." Before I could finish, Mrs. Harper whipped her head around and glared at me viciously. In that instant, her expression went from warm and loving to fierce and terrifying. Before I could even process what was happening, a heavy slap landed on my face. The force was so strong that it knocked me straight to the ground. My vision went black, my ears rang, and I tasted the faint, metallic tang of blood in my mouth. The sudden slap left me completely stunned. The next second, a sharp pain shot through my scalp. Mrs. Harper grabbed me by the hair and yanked me up from the dirt. "You worthless little brat! What good are you?!" The Mrs. Harper I remembered as loving and kind was now a picture of vicious cruelty. "I told you to watch your sister! "And what do you do? You just play around and let her fall! "I'm going to teach you a lesson today, you useless waste of space!" As she yelled, she viciously pinched the flesh on my arms and thighs. My host body was only a five-year-old girl; her tender skin couldn't withstand such brutal pinching. Tears immediately sprang to my eyes from the pain. I panicked and tried to defend myself: "It wasn't my fault! "There was a rock on the ground, Lily didn't see it and tripped." But my defense only made Mrs. Harper angrier. "You dare talk back to me?!" Her eyes bulged as she shoved me hard back onto the ground. Then, she grabbed a nearby willow switch and lashed it down on me. Mrs. Harper put all her strength into every strike, leaving deep, long, bloody welts on my body. I rolled on the ground in agony, snot and tears smearing my face. I wanted to run, but this five-year-old body was paralyzed by pain after just two strikes. I couldn't even move my legs. Lily, watching from the sidelines, opened her innocent eyes wide and asked: "Grandma, why are you hitting my sister?" When Mrs. Harper looked at her, her face instantly melted back into a loving smile. "Because your sister is a bad girl, that's why Grandma is punishing her. "Don't be scared, Lily. You're a good girl, Grandma would never hit you." "Oh." Lily nodded, seemingly understanding. She toddled over on her short little legs and sat down on a small wooden stool. She pulled a new piece of candy from her pocket and popped it into her mouth. As she ate, she watched me getting beaten, clapping her hands and laughing: "Sister is bad! Grandma hit sister!" Her laugh was like silver bells, as sweet as ever. But this time, I couldn't find her cute at all. Encouraged by her precious granddaughter, Mrs. Harper hit me even harder. My vision was blurring. I really thought I was going to die right there. Suddenly, a furious roar came from outside the yard: "You old hag! What the hell are you doing?!" 03 I forced my head up and saw a woman charging toward us. She snatched the willow switch from Mrs. Harper's hand and hurled it away. Then, she quickly gathered me up from the ground into her arms. I saw her eyes instantly turn red, and her voice choked up. The next second, she raised her head, looking like a lioness protecting her cub. "You vicious old witch! "My girl is just a baby, what could she possibly have done for you to beat her like this?!" The Harper children, except for Lily, weren't given proper names right away. They were just called by nicknames, an old superstition that plain names made kids tougher to raise. The original owner of my body was just called "Girl," and her twin older brothers were "Big Bear" and "Little Bear." Seeing Martha's ferocious demeanor, Mrs. Harper felt a flash of guilt. She knew exactly how fierce this daughter-in-law could be. If she didn't need someone to do all the heavy lifting around the house, she would have told her son to divorce Martha years ago. Despite her guilt, Mrs. Harper kept a harsh face and said: "I told this useless brat to watch Lily. "Instead, she was just messing around, and Lily fell and scraped her knee." Martha's eyes widened in disbelief. "Because of that?! "Lily gets a scrape, and you beat my daughter half to death?! "Are you even human, Martha?! "You pamper your granddaughter, but what gives you the right to treat my daughter like dirt?!" As she spoke, she held me tightly, her voice breaking. "I carried her for nine months too! Why is Lily so high and mighty? "Was my daughter born just to be her servant and beast of burden?! "Girl is only five! Lily is eight! "You make a five-year-old watch an eight-year-old! "You have some nerve saying that out loud, you old hag!" In the original book, the Harper family favored Lily, and the other children were strictly ordered to give way to her at all times. If Lily went out to play, "Girl" had to follow behind and look after her. If Lily wanted to play horsey, Big Bear and Little Bear had to crawl on their hands and knees on the dirt floor all afternoon for her amusement. If Lily was unhappy, no one else was allowed to smile. The original novel didn't describe this part in detail; it only said that Martha was jealous that Lily was more favored than her own children, leading to her growing disgust and eventual targeting of Lily. At the time, the comments section was full of people cursing Martha. [This woman is psychotic. [It's just kids playing, does she have to be so dramatic?] [Lol, look at her own kids, they're probably ugly and dirty. [Anyone would prefer our pale, chubby little Lily over them.] [This is why stepmothers are all trash. [My heart breaks for our baby Lily.] ... Back then, I also thought Martha was being petty. It was just asking her kids to be a little more accommodating to Lily. Lily lost her biological mother when she was born; she naturally needed more love. What was the big deal if the other kids let her have her way? But the reality was completely different from what I imagined. This agonizing beating made me seriously doubt the views I had held all along. Was the seemingly kind and loving Mrs. Harper really a good person? Was the seemingly petty and narrow-minded Martha really a bad person? At least in the moment she fiercely protected me, I couldn't make such an easy judgment. Taking a step back... To make a mother watch her own children act as "servants and beasts of burden" for someone else's kid. Just because Lily wanted to play horsey, her boys had to crawl in the dirt all afternoon. Just because Lily got a scrape, her daughter was beaten within an inch of her life... Even the most generous, kind, and selfless person would find it hard to love Lily under those circumstances. For a moment, my complex emotions actually overpowered the physical pain. Meanwhile, Mrs. Harper had plopped down on the dirt and started wailing loudly. "Oh, the tragedy! Why did my son have to marry a woman like you?! "Lily lost her real mother the day she was born, I just love her a little more, that's all. "And for that, I have to be cursed out by you, you wicked stepmother!" She hugged Lily as she cried: "We might as well just go jump in the river and end it all! "Oh, my poor, tragic Lily..." When people argue in the countryside, the winner is usually the one who screams the loudest and cries the hardest. The houses were close together, and Mrs. Harper's wailing immediately drew a crowd of nosy neighbors. Hearing her tearful complaints, they started chattering: "Martha is going too far. "With an old woman and a young child, how could she be so harsh?" "Like they say, birds of a feather flock together. "There isn't a single good stepmother in the world." "Why did the Harper boy ever marry her..." Martha was livid, her face flushed red. She jumped up and yelled: "Martha Harper, you tell me right now, what did I do?! "My daughter was beaten half to death, I said a few words and suddenly I'm the wicked one?! "So I should just let you torture my Girl to death, is that what you call being a good wife?!" However, no matter how much Martha defended herself, Mrs. Harper just sat there wailing. She kept repeating how pitiful Lily was for losing her mother at birth. Lily, though she didn't fully understand, saw her grandmother crying and started bawling too. Through her tears, she lisped: "Stepmom is bullying Grandma! Stepmom is bad! "Don't cry, Grandma. Lily will take care of you when I grow up." Many women with children wiped away tears hearing her words. Martha couldn't defend herself and became the target of everyone's anger. Just as the court of public opinion had completely sided with Mrs. Harper... I suddenly started wailing too, my voice even louder and more piercing than theirs. Everyone's eyes immediately snapped to me. When they saw me covered in bloody welts, they gasped in shock. Crying loudly, I sobbed: "I'm sorry, Grandma, don't yell at my mom anymore. "It's all my fault I didn't take good care of my sister and let her scrape her knee. "You have every right to beat me to death. "But my mom just got back from the fields, she didn't know anything. "Please don't yell at her anymore." As soon as those words left my mouth, everyone was stunned. "Girl, did your grandmother give you all those injuries?!" Auntie Mary, usually the most helpful woman in town, stepped forward and asked. I nodded, sniffling: "Grandma said I was born to serve my sister. "When my sister tripped over a rock, it was all my fault. "So she slapped me, then she pinched me. "Then she hit me with a switch..." I added fuel to the fire, exaggerating how I was abused. Martha's heart broke listening to me, tears streaming down her face. The neighbors standing around were dumbfounded. "Girl is only five, and she's supposed to watch her eight-year-old sister?" "Lily falling down has nothing to do with Girl. "How could you beat a perfectly good child like this?" "No wonder Martha argued with her. "If my daughter was treated like this, I'd fight that old bat to the death." The townsfolk immediately switched sides, turning their condemnation toward Mrs. Harper. Mrs. Harper forced a few more awkward wails, still trying to defend herself: "Lily hasn't had a mother since she was born, what's wrong with me loving her a little more?" This time, before Martha could retort, the helpful Auntie Mary beat her to it: "If you love Lily so much, you should take care of her yourself. "Making a five-year-old watch an eight-year-old, what kind of nonsense is that?!" Saying that, she grabbed Martha's arm: "Come on, let's get Girl to the clinic in town right now. "We can't let the child suffer any lasting damage." Hearing this, Martha lost all interest in arguing. She quickly hoisted me onto her back and hurried toward town. Leaving Mrs. Harper and Lily standing in the yard, being pointed at and gossiped about by the entire town. 04 After getting medicine from the clinic, I lay in bed for over a week before Martha finally let me get up. She specifically ordered Big Bear and Little Bear not to let me do any chores because I was still weak. During that week, I observed this family with my own eyes. The original novel stated: The protagonist, Lily, was a little foodie. But the wicked stepmother was so stingy she wouldn't even let her have an extra egg. What I saw with my own eyes, however, was: Lily got to eat a boiled egg every single day. While Martha's own children only got to taste one during holidays. While I was recovering, Martha wanted to build up my strength. She gritted her teeth, dug into her secret savings, and bought a small bag of eggs, boiling one for me every day. Big Bear and Little Bear drooled watching me, but could only stare longingly. And Lily, after finishing her own egg, would look innocent and say: "Grandma, I want more." Then she would open her big, innocent eyes and look pitifully at the boiled egg in her stepmother's hand. Martha would roll her eyes in exasperation: "If you want more, ask your grandmother to lay two for you. "Stop staring at the little bit of food Girl gets." The original novel stated: Lily looked like a delicate, soft little princess. But she was forced to wear tacky, ugly clothes that couldn't show off her beauty. The reality was: In this era, everything was scarce, especially fabric. The Harper family used their few fabric ration coupons to make pretty floral dresses for Lily. Martha and her three children hadn't had new clothes in two or three years. The book also claimed Martha was inherently evil, petty, competed with a little girl, and only valued her sons... But what I saw was that while she disliked Lily, her attitude was merely to ignore her. She never actively harmed her, let alone competed with her. As for favoring boys over girls, that was complete nonsense. These past few days, her concern and care for me were absolute. Sometimes, she would look thoughtfully at Lily. Thinking I was envious that Lily was more liked than I was, she would tell me: "If they like her, that's their business. "My Girl doesn't need to compare herself to anyone. "In Mom's eyes, you are the absolute best." In those moments, I could no longer see her as just a standard "wicked stepmother." She was my mother. The mother of "Girl." I could no longer treat myself as a bystander, watching the original plot unfold from the sidelines. I couldn't just watch the mother who loved me and my two brothers walk toward a dead end. "Mom," I said, looking straight into her eyes. "Divorce my dad." 05 Martha was shocked. For a woman in that era, especially a woman in a rural town, the word "divorce" was essentially a myth. "Did someone say something to you?" she asked instinctively. I shook my head and gently tried to persuade her: "Don't you think this house is exactly the same whether Dad is here or not? "You're already raising me and my brothers all by yourself. "If you divorce, your life will actually be easier." It was the truth. At this time, Mr. Harper was just a poor enlisted soldier, sending a fixed six dollars home every month. And every cent of that six dollars went straight to Mrs. Harper to spend on herself and Lily. Martha and her children had never seen a dime of it. The only reason her kids had survived this long was because Martha worked her fingers to the bone. She woke up at four in the morning to feed the chickens and ducks, then cleaned the house and made breakfast for the whole family. After breakfast, she had to work in the Harper family's private garden for half the day. Around noon, she went to the communal fields to earn work points, often not returning until late at night. Sometimes, when there was less work in the fields, she'd get off early. She would use that time before dark to go to the mountains behind the town to gather firewood, mushrooms, and wild vegetables. Even when she got home, she never rested. She cooked dinner, washed dishes, did laundry, mended clothes... Martha spun like a top every day, never getting a moment's peace. If she divorced, she wouldn't have to do chores for a whole family of ingrates. She wouldn't have to work like a mule in the Harper family's garden every day. I spent a long time reasoning with her. But Martha just furrowed her brow, hesitating: "I've never heard of a woman asking for a divorce. "And if we leave, we won't have a house or land. "How are we supposed to survive just on the work points from the commune?" Martha's concerns were purely practical. Her own family heavily favored boys; she was beaten and scolded constantly growing up. At sixteen, she was sold to the widowed Mr. Harper for a thirty-dollar bride price. After getting married, she cut all ties with her family, knowing she couldn't rely on them for anything. Her fears were justified. Leaving the Harper family meant she and her children would face a grueling period of hardship. To convince her, I lied and said I had a dream, laying out the entire plot of the original book. Hearing that her two sons would be beaten to death and her daughter would die in agony from a disease... Martha broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. I seized the moment to deliver the final blow. "Even if the dream isn't real... "Mom. "Do you really want to watch me and my brothers act as servants for Lily for the rest of our lives?" That sentence cemented her final decision. Martha wiped her tears, her eyes regaining their fierce determination. "We're doing it! "I'm divorcing him!"
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