The Crawford family had just been tagged as so‑called capitalists.

A few minutes ago, a group of people wearing red armbands stormed into the house and turned the place upside down. Anything worth a dime was hauled away, and whatever they couldn’t carry—the wooden cabinets, the glass windows—they smashed to pieces. Autumn Crawford’s parents were dragged off along with them.

The yard was a mess, littered with splinters, broken glass, scraps of paper—chaos everywhere.

Fiona Palmer lifted the toe of her shiny leather shoe and kicked at a broken table leg on the ground with clear disgust. The thing clattered and rolled far across the yard.

"Our Chambers family can’t afford to marry a ‘capitalist’ young lady."

She raised her chin, arms crossed, looking down her nose as she went on, "Autumn, you’re ending this engagement today."

Autumn’s face was drained of color. A blood‑stained bandage wrapped around her head, and she stared coldly at Fiona Palmer. Her gaze slid past to Orion Chambers—her fiancé—standing stiff and uneasy, and then to Pearl Crawford, her cousin, who was smirking like she’d already won.

That’s when it hit her—she had landed inside a novel.

She’d fallen straight into the pages of a book called Reborn Beauty of the Seventies, and she’d become the disposable side character who dies right in chapter one.

She had barely arrived when the red‑armband group hauled away the original Autumn’s parents, and the Chambers family rushed over to demand a breakup.

And the one pulling all the strings behind this disaster was none other than Pearl Crawford—the reborn heroine of the story.

Pearl, in her past life, had been a sent‑down educated youth. She got tricked into marrying a village scoundrel, had two daughters, suffered daily under her mother‑in‑law’s curses, and every time she talked back, her husband beat her half to death. Her life was nothing but darkness.

Meanwhile, the original Autumn Crawford had parents who spoiled her, a respectable job, and a smooth marriage with Orion Chambers. When the economic reforms came, Orion went into business, became one of Haicheng’s top bosses, and Autumn lived like a pampered socialite.

Then Pearl was beaten to death by her husband—only to open her eyes and wake up back in the past.

After coming back with memories of the last life, she seemed like a completely different person, her thoughts twisted out of shape.

She was dead set on snatching every bit of good fortune that should’ve belonged to Autumn Crawford, and she even wanted Autumn to end up worse than she herself had before.

Using the excuse of asking for help with schoolwork, she cozied up to Autumn’s fiancé, Orion Chambers.

During that stretch of time, Pearl Crawford kept putting on an act, trying her best to please the whole Crawford family.

Autumn’s little sister was only twelve, innocent as could be. With just a few sweet words, Pearl got her to spill where the Crawfords kept their letters.

And just like that, she got her hands on the correspondence between Vivian Yates and their relatives overseas.

An anonymous report slipped out quietly, and the next thing anyone knew, the Crawford couple were taken away in handcuffs.

Once the original Autumn met her downfall and her parents were sent away, Pearl immediately moved into the Crawfords’ small Western‑style house, pocketing their sizable savings—and even took over Autumn’s fiancé without blinking.

Later on, afraid that Autumn’s parents might someday return and reclaim their lives, she secretly sent people after them, tormenting them to death.

As for the younger sister, Sylvia Crawford, she was sold to a childless family. When that family finally had kids of their own, Sylvia was beaten and starved until she died.

Autumn stared at Pearl, who was grinning smugly, her own gaze dark and steady.

What kind of messed‑up author cooked this up? Just because the heroine gets a second chance, the whole Crawford family has to die for her plotline?

Good thing she’d crossed over in time—no one was going to lay a finger on the Crawfords’ belongings, and she’d make sure none of the Crawfords met their doomed endings.

Step one in changing fate: cut off this ridiculous engagement with the Chambers family, then hurry to find out what happened to her parents.

As for how the engagement got canceled—that was going to be on her terms.

"Autumn, be sensible and hand over the engagement papers. A capitalist’s daughter like you isn’t fit to marry a college student from our Chambers family."

Fiona Palmer’s mouth never stopped running. Her long, narrow face looked even more self‑important than usual, though there was a hint of panic under all that arrogance.

In these times, anyone with even the slightest connection to the wrong side of politics could end up in ruin.

The Crawford family was done for, and as their future in‑laws, the Chambers family might get pulled down too. They needed to cut ties fast.

Autumn let out a short laugh, more amused than angry, and fired right back.

"What’s that supposed to mean? Is your Chambers family lining up to inherit a throne or something? ‘Not good enough’? Yeah right—good enough for you my foot!"

Orion Chambers, that two‑timing jerk—already promised to Autumn Crawford, yet sneaking around with Pearl Crawford behind everyone’s back.

Talking to him for even one more second felt like insulting the original girl who lived this life.

"Ain’t that the truth. A whole pack of ungrateful wolves. Back then they were practically wagging their tails begging Old Crawford for help. Now the Crawfords hit trouble and they cut ties faster than flipping a page. Heartless doesn’t even begin to cover it."

Diana Austin, standing right beside Autumn, couldn’t hold herself back anymore. She jabbed a finger toward Fiona Palmer and let loose.

The Crawfords and the Austins had been neighbors for over a decade—close enough to treat each other like family.

Now that trouble had fallen on the Crawfords, the whole alley kept their distance. Only Diana dared step out and lend a hand.

She’d never stomached Fiona Palmer’s stingy, money‑hungry attitude. Every time the two crossed paths, sparks flew.

"Diana Austin, this is business between our families. What are you butting in for?"

Fiona Palmer clenched her fists so tight her knuckles whitened, her voice trembling with anger.

Back then, when the Chambers family went begging to Autumn’s father, the groveling had been so humiliating she still felt the sting of it. It was the most shameful moment of her life, like a thorn lodged in her heart—and Diana just had to pull at it.

"I’m just saying what’s fair. Your Chambers family agrees to an engagement when it suits you and tosses it aside when it doesn’t. Shameless doesn’t even begin to describe it."

Diana was already anxious about the safety of the Crawford couple. Seeing the Chambers family kick them when they were down only made her temper burn hotter.

"You… you loudmouthed shrew!"

Fiona Palmer shook with fury, the flesh on her face twitching uncontrollably.

Autumn worried the woman might just faint right where she stood, and in her heart she quietly gave Diana a big thumbs‑up.

With a teammate this fierce, she didn’t even have to lift a finger. She could simply stand by and enjoy the show.

Pearl Crawford watched Fiona Palmer get put in her place, a flash of cold irritation crossing her eyes. She cursed the woman’s uselessness.

She’d laid her plans for so long; nothing could be allowed to go wrong now. Today, Autumn Crawford had to end this engagement—no matter what.

She hurried to switch her expression, putting on a worried look as she stepped forward and reached out to grab Autumn Crawford’s arm.

"Autumn, acting like this won’t make your future mother‑in‑law like you. How are you supposed to live once you marry into their family?"

Autumn had long been fed up with this fake sweetheart routine. She slapped Pearl Crawford’s hand away without hesitation.

"My business doesn’t need you meddling."

Pearl’s fair hand instantly turned red. She yelped and yanked it back.

Ever since she’d been reborn, she’d been pretending to be all warm and caring toward Autumn and her sister, thinking she’d already coaxed them into obedience.

Who would’ve thought Autumn wouldn’t buy it at all? Pearl stared at her, suspicion flickering in her eyes.

Autumn kept her face calm and let her stare. No matter how Pearl looked at her, it wasn’t going to stop her from settling this score.

"Pearl, are you alright?"

Orion Chambers quickly grabbed her hand. Seeing the red mark spreading across her pale skin, his heart ached for her. He gently rubbed her hand, fussing over her.

He looked at Autumn, guilt mixed with a hint of irritation in his eyes.

"Autumn, if you’re mad, take it out on me. Pearl was just worried about you. Why hit her?"

"Orion, I’m fine. Don’t blame Autumn," Pearl said softly, sounding oh‑so‑considerate. "You two were engaged by the families anyway. There’s no real feelings there… Don’t fight because of me."

Her voice was gentle, but the corner of her eyes kept sneaking a glance at Autumn, full of smugness.

Autumn Crawford, your man and your family's fortune—they’re all going to be mine.

What a joke.

Autumn was already disgusted by the pair of them and was about to snap back when Diana Austin beat her to it.

"Pearl, what are you saying? Autumn and that Chambers boy grew up together. How could there be no feelings?"

Diana glared at Pearl, annoyed that she wasn’t helping her own cousin and was instead stirring up trouble.

"Aunt Diana, isn’t everyone talking about free romance nowadays? I’m just worried they won’t get along if there’s no love between them."

Pearl put on the act of a gentle, sensible older sister, and honestly, she almost sold it.

"Pearl, what exactly do you mean by free romance? You mean like how you and Orion meet in private?"

Autumn tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes, pretending to ask innocently.

The moment her words dropped, everyone’s expression changed on the spot.