Chapter 2: Reborn in 1958

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When consciousness returned once more, Tang Ailian felt as if she were in a dark space. She was surrounded by warm water, gently floating within it.

She reached out her hand and immediately touched what seemed to be a soft wall. However, this wall felt unusually warm. She was confused; was this place hell?

No, it couldn't be hell; hell wouldn't feel so warm and safe. Furthermore, she could hear rhythmic sounds, like a heartbeat, coming from outside her small space. Not only was there a heartbeat outside, but she also heard her own heartbeat.

She finally confirmed that she was inside her mother's womb, transformed into a fetus. So, it was true that people could be reborn after death. She had completed one lifetime, and now she was about to start another.

In her previous life, she had spent most of her time living for others. This time, she vowed to live for herself and not be easily used by others.

She began to wonder if there were previous lives before this one. Did those previous lives retain memories? It would be nice if memories were carried forward to each life.

As she pondered this, she suddenly saw her own consciousness split into ten segments within her mind. Nine of these segments were filled with a bright light, while one remained empty.

She remembered reading an article online in her previous life that claimed humans only used ten percent of their brains, leaving ninety percent untapped. Could this empty segment be reserved for her to use in this life? But what could be stored in the other nine segments?

Her curiosity got the best of her, and she ventured into one of the segments, touching the bright light within. Instantly, a flood of memories rushed into her consciousness, causing intense pain in her head.

Her prenatal Qi wasn't yet severed, and her postnatal Qi hadn't entered, so she couldn't cry out in pain. She writhed in agony inside the womb.

However, the memories were astonishing. They belonged to a shaman, filled with knowledge of medicinal arts, control over animals and plants, and thrilling adventures. She was amazed.

Even more surprising was the palm of her left hand, where there was a unique "well" pattern. In her previous life, she had used this pattern to heal the sick, and it had earned her respect and fame.

Before her death, she had inadvertently sealed this well into her spiritual repository, and it had been passed down through generations. When she coughed up blood due to poison, the pattern was activated, leading her consciousness to her mother's womb before birth.

In the communal dining hall, Liu Xiujian, who was selecting vegetables, suddenly frowned and groaned, "Ugh."

"What's wrong? Is it time to give birth, Sister Xiujian?" Concerned, Jiuyi asked as they were choosing vegetables.

"Give birth? No, it's only been seven months," Liu Xiujian replied.

"Are you okay, Xiujian?" Peng Yuniang, the leader of Kitchen Group 2, who was washing vegetables, came over to check on her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine."

"That's good. It's probably just the baby being active. Sit down and rest for a moment. We're almost done preparing the vegetables. Let's get ready to cook; the workers will be back soon." Peng Yuniang said as she examined the vegetables they had prepared, preparing lunch for the members returning from work.

In the summer of 1958, everyone ate in the communal dining hall. However, this arrangement didn't favor pregnant women; everyone ate the same food, and there was no way to cater to special dietary needs. Peng Yuniang could only help Liu Xiujian secretly by giving her a boiled egg every day to ensure she received enough nutrition. She didn't think anyone would count the eggs every day.

But now, Liu Xiujian had been caught red-handed.

It was the Women's Brigade Leader from Longtou Village, known as "Pala," who had caught her. Her real name was Sheng Hongying, but everyone used her nickname. In fact, most people in the village didn't even know her real name.

Peng Yuniang was at a loss for words, and Liu Xiujian was in too much pain to speak up in her defense. Even the unborn Tang Ailian was shocked by the situation. She had thought she was reborn after death, but now it seemed she had been reborn into her mother's womb.

Listening to everyone's words, it appeared to be 1958, the time when they ate in the communal dining hall. This couldn't be right; she had just died, so why was she now inside her mother's womb?

(End of chapter 2)