“Oh? Did Grandpa Lu arrange for Lu Qingshen to marry Qin Yun?” Qin Jian asked casually.
Xiao Liu looked surprised. “You did not know?”
“I did not. Who would know why he came to my family home to propose?” Qin Jian replied indifferently, showing no real interest in the matter.
But Xiao Liu seemed eager to explain. “Madam, the Battalion Commander proposed to the Gu family because Qin Yun’s father Qin Xiao sacrificed his life after saving Senior Lu.”
“The Lu family owed Comrade Qin Xiao a debt of gratitude. He had only Qin Yun as his daughter and his ex-wife He He as Qin’s mother.”
“Before Qin Xiao passed away, the two families agreed on the marriage. That was why the Battalion Commander went to the Qin family to propose.”
Qin Jian’s first reaction was anger. “Who is this Qin Xiao? My father’s name is Qin Jianguo.”
She paused as realization struck and frowned. “Wait a moment. Are Qin Yun and I half sisters sharing the same mother?”
Once the thought took hold, details from her past life began to surface. She remembered hearing people in the compound say her mother had married her father as a second marriage. The first marriage had been short lasting less than half a year so she had always assumed Qin Yun was her full sister.
Qin Yun also looked very much like their mother and no one in the compound had ever questioned her background so Qin Jian had never considered otherwise.
Most telling was her father’s attitude. In her final days in her past life he had come to see her and instead of showing concern he had asked her to leave a share of her inheritance to Qin Yun. Would a father treat someone not his own flesh and blood with such favor?
“That is exactly so. Qin Yun’s father was Qin Xiao and your father is Comrade Qin Jianguo. Your mother refused the Battalion Commander’s suit on Qin Yun’s behalf and insisted you take Qin Yun’s place instead. The Battalion Commander agreed and Senior Lu raised no objection. And so the marriage was arranged.”
As Lu Qingshen’s orderly Xiao Liu knew a great deal.
“Why did he then seek a divorce?” Qin Jian asked keeping her anger in check. Favoritism was ridiculous enough but to value another man’s daughter above one’s own child was even more so.
“After just three months of marriage your mother found one excuse after another to obtain five thousand yuan from the Battalion Commander.”
“That was not all. She also exploited the Lu family’s connections to secure special treatment throughout Southern Province damaging the family’s reputation and disregarding all discipline.”
Qin Jian laughed as she listened. So that was the truth behind everything. She had no doubt it was true. Her mother was perfectly capable of such behavior.
Her mother would do whatever it took to secure Qin Yun’s future. Qin Jian had long known Qin Yun had only ever wanted Lu Qingshen for his family’s influence and status.
Qin Jian closed her eyes briefly. “I see. Then ending the marriage was indeed the right decision.”
Xiao Liu looked confused by her lack of surprise or any desire to reconcile and scratched his head.
“Madam do you think the Battalion Commander did wrong?” he asked carefully.
Qin Jian smiled at him. “He did nothing wrong. If I were in his position I would have done the same.”
“You are not angry with him?” Xiao Liu asked hopefully.
Qin Jian felt cold anger rise. How could she not be?
The reasons for the marriage and the divorce were now clear but they also revealed something important. The Lu family would always treat Qin Yun favorably out of respect for Qin Xiao.
That also explained why Lu Qingshen had continued sending money to Qin Jian’s mother to support Qin Yun in her past life.
“I am not angry. After all we are strangers now.”
Xiao Liu’s smile faded. He sighed sadly and was about to say more when Qin Jian dismissed him.
Xiao Liu returned to the military base and reported the conversation to Lu Qingshen.
“I understand,” Lu Qingshen said. “I can see why she would be upset. I have in a way wasted her chance at marriage.”
“I am leaving on assignment tomorrow and will be away from Qing Province for some time. You must look out for her. Do not stop helping her just because she refuses your offers.”
Xiao Liu thought to himself in frustration. Was he speaking of his ex wife or his current wife? If he did not want the marriage to end he should tell her so instead of telling me.
Meanwhile Qin Jian washed up ate her lunch and rested. She spent the rest of the day enjoying her freedom.
Early the next morning Qin Jian went out to look for work and got off at the bus station in the southern part of the provincial capital.
In her past life after her mother had caused a scene at the compound Lu Qingshen had sent her here to Qing Province. He had paid for her to stay at a guesthouse.
She had not wasted her time there.
Despite her unhappiness in marriage she had been fortunate to find a restaurant nearby that was hiring.
It was early in 1980. The reforms and opening up had barely begun and self employment was still widely mocked. Those who opened shops did so at great risk of losing everything.
Qin Jian knew private enterprise would flourish in the years ahead. She would seize this opportunity to build the capital she would need to stand against the Gu family and Qin Yun.
Carrying her handbag she walked the short distance to Wei’s Noodle House a shop of about one hundred square meters. There were seven or eight customers inside and business seemed steady.
She had arrived a week or so earlier than she had in her past life and the shop was doing well.
“Good morning Boss. I have come about the job,” Qin Jian said approaching the middle aged owner who was pulling noodles by hand.
Wei Hong looked her up and down. “Show me your hands.”
Qin Jian held them out.
Wei Hong saw the calluses and nodded approvingly. “Good. You know how to work.”
Qin Jian was strikingly pretty though her skin was tanned from long hours outdoors.
“I am used to hard work and I am strong,” she said. “I do all the cooking at home too.”
Wei Hong said. “Your accent is not from the north is it?”
“No. I am from the south and here to visit relatives. My cousin serves in the military nearby in the northwest command. Here is my introduction letter.” Qin Jian showed him her documents subtly confirming her connection to Lu Qingshen. There was no need to mention the marriage and Lu Qingshen would surely prefer their union remained unknown.
Wei Hong glanced through them and satisfied everything was in order nodded.
“We do need an extra hand,” he said. “Your duties will be setting tables and serving customers. Granny Wu will take care of the washing up. You just look after the guests.”
“Thank you.”
“Do not thank me yet. You will stay only if you prove yourself.”
Qin Jian knew Wei Hong appeared gruff but was truly kind. He had helped her in her past life. He had opened the shop hoping to earn enough money to pay for his wife’s medical care as she was bedridden and ill.
In two weeks’ time in her past life his wife would take her own life overcome by gossip and fearing she was a burden to him.
Remembering how heartbroken Wei Hong had been Qin Jian resolved to find a way to warn him. Wei Hong was capable and she would win him over as an ally. Once she had built her success Qin Yun would have nowhere left to turn.