Chapter 1

In 1970, before our family was sent down to the countryside, Mom and Dad couldn't bear to let my sister, Ashley, suffer on the farm, so they rushed to marry her off to a military officer.

In the previous timeline, after Ashley married the military officer, his whole family was also sent down to the farm.

In the end, Ashley died from childbirth complications on that remote farm.

When I opened my eyes again, Ashley and I had returned to the month before we were sent down.

In the living room, Mom and Dad were trying to figure out how to get Ashley married off before we had to leave for the countryside.

"Ellie, it's not that we don't love you, but Ashley's health is poor. She just can't handle all that hard work on the farm," Mom said.

"That's right, Ellie. You're stronger than Ashley, so we've agreed. Let's get Ashley married as soon as possible, and you'll come with us when we get sent down," Dad added.

Before I could say anything, Ashley suddenly shoved me out of the way.

Ashley said, "Dad, Mom, I want to go to the farm with you! Let Ellie take my place and marry into the Gordon family."

Mom and Dad were stunned. Ignoring me, they each grabbed one of Ashley's soft hands and tried desperately to persuade her.

"Ashley, I know you can't bear to be apart from your dad and me, but that farm isn't fit for people to live in," Mom said.

She urged, "Be good! Just let Ellie go with us, and you go ahead and marry into the Gordon family."

Dad added, "Your mom's right. The Gordon family comes from the military, and people wouldn't dare mess with the military. Leon's already a battalion leader. With him protecting you, you'll have an easy life as a military wife."

Ashley glanced at me, then pulled Mom and Dad aside.

I had no idea what they talked about, but when they came back, their attitude had totally flipped.

Mom said, "Ellie, Ashley really cares about you. She doesn't want you suffering on the farm, so she wants you to take her spot and marry into the Gordon family instead. Once you're living the good life over there, just remember what Ashley did for you."

Dad added, "That's right. Ashley even handed her fiancé over to you so you wouldn't have to go to the farm. Ellie, your mom, and I have talked it over.

"Once you marry into the Gordon family and follow Leon to the military, you'll have everything you need. We're not giving you any of the stuff from home. Think of it as compensation for Ashley."

Hearing how obviously Mom and Dad were playing favorites, I couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

I said, "If marrying into the Gordon family is really such a blessing, then Ashley should be the one to enjoy it. Hardship's nothing new to me anyway. I'll go with Mom and Dad to the farm."

"No!" Ashley suddenly freaked out and screamed.

I stared at her, shocked. "Why?"

"Because... because..." Ashley stammered.

She just stood there, flustered, not knowing what to say.

I realized it. Ashley must've come back to the past, too.

In the last timeline, Mom and Dad just couldn't stand the thought of Ashley suffering on the farm, so they set everything up for her early on.

First, they put an announcement in the paper, saying they were cutting ties with Ashley, so she wouldn't get caught up in our mess.

Then, they gave her the house, all the savings, and anything in the family that was worth a dime.

And finally, they made sure Ashley married into the Gordon family. The Gordons had been military folks for generations. Leon's dad, Richard, was already a big-shot commander, and Leon himself was a battalion leader, even though he was still young.

Mom and Dad figured, with the Gordon family backing her up and all that money, Ashley would have it made for life.

But who could've seen it coming? In the last timeline, our family had just been sent down to the farm when Richard got framed by his own men.

Later on, the whole Gordon family got sent straight to the toughest, most godforsaken farm out there.

All that money and stuff Mom and Dad left for Ashley? She lost it all.

Later, Ashley got pregnant on the farm. Her health was already bad, and with the cold and hunger, she ended up dying in childbirth. She never made it out of that place.

After Ashley died, Mom and Dad blamed me for everything.

They called me a jinx, saying that if I hadn't stolen all the nutrients from Ashley in the womb, she wouldn't have been so weak and wouldn't have died in childbirth.

They accused me of being selfish, living it up while being sent down with them, and watching helplessly as Ashley was sent off to the most remote, miserable farm.

But did I really have it easy?

Those years I spent with Mom and Dad on the farm, I was just fighting to keep them alive.

I went from being a privileged kid in a government compound to a scrappy, reckless fighter who'd risk anything to survive.

When the villagers bullied Mom and Dad, I'd grab a hoe and fight them like a wildcat. They beat me black and blue. Once, they even broke three of my ribs.

But I wasn't about to let them get away with it. I chomped off half that guy's ear.

After that, those people never dared to lay a finger on our family again.

Dad couldn't swallow his pride enough to shovel manure or chop firewood.

Mom had been pampered by maids her whole life. She couldn't even handle the simplest chores, like washing clothes or cooking a meal.

So it was all on me, busting my tail in the fields from dawn till dusk, scraping together work points just to put food on the table for the three of us.

At night, I'd drag myself back to the cowshed, and it was up to me to wash the clothes, cook, haul water, and chop firewood.

In winter, my hands would go numb scrubbing clothes in the icy river, and even when I was doubled over with cramps, I still had to tough it out, working the fields, cooking, and doing everything else.

If I didn't do it, no one else would.

If no one worked, all three of us would go hungry.

I toughed it out for five whole years, and by the end, my body was totally shot.

But to Mom and Dad, since I didn't end up dead on that farm like Ashley, they acted like I'd been living the good life.