The Vicious Ex-Wife Stripped Me Bare, and Now the Commander Is Seeing Red Every Day - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Paper Character Transmigrates; Divorce Over Night

August 15, 1973. Pingyang Alley, South City.

The once-bustling reunion dinner had fallen into a deathly silence. The entire Gu family was shrouded in the sound of despairing sobs. Just moments ago, they had received the official notice of their relocation and downfall.

“Waaa… I don’t want to be relocated! I don’t want to go to the Great Northwest to gnaw on tree bark! I’m still young, I haven’t even consummated my marriage with Gu Yan yet! I’m not a daughter-in-law of the Gu family—I want a divorce!”

The Gu elders looked at their daughter-in-law, who was drenched in tears. Though pained, they nodded in resignation. “You are a good child. It is our Gu family that has dragged you down. Tomorrow at dawn, go and finalize the divorce. We will prepare some money for you… You should leave tonight.”

“And Rou-rou,” the father continued, looking at his daughter. “I’ll write a letter to young Zhao. Take the letter to him and get your marriage certificate tomorrow. From then on, you will no longer belong to the Gu family, and you won’t have to suffer with us.”

The two elders had arranged safety nets for both young women, planning for only the two of them to accompany their son into exile. They had heard their son’s leg was injured, but they didn’t even know how severe the wound was.

“No! I’m not going! Mom, Dad, we are a family. A family should stay together,” Gu Rou cried, her eyes red. She turned a sharp, biting gaze toward her sister-in-law standing nearby. “I’m not like certain people. I believe my brother would never collude with the enemy!”

Lin Ning ignored Gu Rou’s veiled insults. She wiped her tears and looked at her father and mother-in-law. “Dad, Mom, I agree with this. I’ll take Little Sister with me. And we don’t have to wait until tomorrow; I have a friend at the Civil Affairs Bureau. I’ll take her there right now.”

The Gu parents were stunned by her eagerness. Gu Mother, in particular, looked at her with a deepening sense of disappointment.

Gu Father, however, paused for a moment before nodding. “Very well. If it can be done tonight, that’s for the best—lest long nights lead to many dreams.”

Lin Ning nodded like a chick pecking grain. “Yes, yes! Dad, go write the letter quickly!”

“Mom, take out everything valuable in the house. I don’t want much—just half for me and half for my sister.”

Gu Mother was truly livid now. It was one thing for the daughter-in-law she had hand-picked to abandon them in their time of need, but to loot the house on her way out?

Gu Father was more pragmatic. “Do as she says. Better to give it to her than to have it confiscated during a raid.”

Only then did Gu Mother grudgingly go to pack the belongings.

Lin Ning didn’t stay idle either; she hurried back to her room to pack. Looking at the bridal chamber where she had lived for less than a month, she felt a wave of melancholy.

Who could have guessed? She was originally just a background character who had survived to the end of an apocalypse novel, only to choke to death on a dry bun because she didn’t have water. Now, she had transmigrated into a period novel as the male lead’s vicious ex-wife.

In the original plot, she was incredibly malicious. Because she desired Gu Yan, she had intentionally befriended Gu Rou to gain favor with the family. She eventually tricked everyone but Gu Yan into liking her, and even conspired with Gu Mother to trap Gu Yan into marrying her.

Unfortunately, on their wedding day, Gu Yan received an emergency notice and headed to the battlefield before the ceremony even finished. It was in that war that Gu Yan was not only severely injured but framed for treason, leading to his exile.

In the original book, she also clamored for a divorce, and the parents made the exact same arrangements for Gu Rou. However, her life after the divorce was miserable. Her own parents’ family rejected her, and she quickly ran out of money. Seeing that Gu Rou was being well-cared for, her jealousy exploded. She constantly tormented Gu Rou and shamelessly seduced Gu Rou’s husband, Zhao Wenbin.

Zhao Wenbin was no saint either; she seduced him easily. Not only that, she intentionally let Gu Rou catch them in the act and eventually conspired with Zhao Wenbin to kill a heavily pregnant Gu Rou.

Three years after Gu Rou’s death, Gu Yan was exonerated. When the Gu family returned to the city and discovered Gu Rou had been murdered by her former sister-in-law, their world collapsed. Gu Yan launched a frantic revenge, and in the end, Lin Ning and Zhao Wenbin died in prison. Gu Yan then returned to the military, became the youngest Chief of Staff, married his “white moonlight,” had twins, and lived happily ever after.

Lin Ning had arrived at the perfect time: the day before the Gu family’s relocation.

However, Lin Ning wasn’t the original vicious ex-wife, and she didn’t want that ending. Her plan was to latch onto the “golden thigh” that was Gu Rou. As long as Gu Rou lived, Lin Ning would live.

And what did Gu Rou care about most? The Gu family. Therefore, Lin Ning had a separate plan for the family—especially for her “husband,” Gu Yan.

After packing her things, Lin Ning came out to find Gu Rou still standing still. She nudged her. “What are you doing? Hurry up and pack!”

Gu Rou looked up, staring at her with hatred. “Lin Ning, do you even have a heart? My brother is in such big trouble, yet I don’t see a shred of sadness from you… You’re too much!”

Lin Ning sighed. This was what happened when a child was too well-bred; the worst insult she could throw was “you’re too much!”

“Gu Rou, don’t be stupid. Crying and sadness won’t solve anything. What you need to do now is pack your things and get out of here.” Lin Ning decided that while she was protecting her, she would also have to teach her the survival rules of this era. Being too weak wouldn’t do.

“I’ll help you pack. Go see if Dad has finished the letter.”

With that, she rolled up her sleeves and rushed into Gu Rou’s room. Gu Rou, caught off guard, shouted, “Get out! You’re not allowed to touch my things!”

Lin Ning acted as if she hadn’t heard a word. These items were their capital for future survival.

At that moment, Gu Father walked over with two letters—one for Gu Rou and one for Lin Ning.

“Rou-rou, your sister-in-law is right about one thing: crying won’t solve anything. When we aren’t by your side anymore, you must grow up quickly.” Gu Father stroked her head with affection, his clouded eyes full of reluctance.

Gu Rou looked at her elderly father and shook her head in panic. “Dad, I want to go with you. You can’t leave me alone!”

Gu Father sighed but repeated, “Go pack your things.” Gu Rou began to cry even harder.

Gu Father then turned to Lin Ning, who was “scavenging” through Gu Rou’s room. “Ning-ning, take this. There is some money and a few items inside. Take them back to your family; I imagine the Lin family won’t make things difficult for you if you have this.”

Lin Ning turned around and saw a large envelope. She opened it to find a thick stack of “Great Unity” bills (10-yuan notes), various coupons, and at the very bottom, several small gold bars.

Seeing her rummaging through the envelope, Gu Father spoke tentatively. “Ning-ning, although you and Xiao Yan are divorcing, you and Rou-rou are still friends. If we are no longer around, you two must look out for one another.”

Gu Father simply couldn’t stop worrying about Gu Rou. In his eyes, Lin Ning could go back to her parents. But Gu Rou… she would have nothing left.

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