Turning back, Lu Qiqi let out a cold, mocking laugh.
“Second Aunt, it seems to me that you are the one making Grandfather break his word!”
“You… you…!”
“If Second Aunt is so eager to see me married off… fine, I will agree—”
“You… you’re willing to marry that man… Gu Mufeng?”
Lu Qiqi nodded calmly.
“I will agree to marry him, on the condition that Second Aunt accepts my terms. You know perfectly well that you cannot force me into this if I truly refuse. These are new times; the world upholds freedom in marriage and freedom to love. I could very well go to the commune or even report this to the public security authorities. I’m sure Second Aunt wouldn’t want this matter to ruin Lu Meili’s reputation, would you? Word has it the Li family values reputation above all else. If Lu Meili’s good name is tarnished, it will be quite impossible for her to ever marry into the Li family.”
Sun Kaifeng was well aware of how deeply the Li family cared for face and standing—that was precisely why she had dared not speak openly about forcing Lu Qiqi to take Lu Meili’s place in marriage. Now that Lu Qiqi had agreed, Sun Kaifeng breathed a sigh of relief. As for conditions? She felt certain this simple-minded girl could not possibly ask for anything of consequence.
“Qiqi, we are family. We share the same Lu surname—one stroke of the brush does not make two separate Lu families. In Second Aunt’s eyes, you are just as dear to us as Meili. A girl grows up and marries eventually; though it pains Second Aunt to see you go, we would never stand in the way of your happiness. Once you are married into the Gu family, visits will be few and far between. Whatever you wish for, speak freely. If it is within our power, Second Aunt promises you shall have it.”
Sun Kaifeng raised an eyebrow as she finished speaking. For some reason, she could not shake the feeling that something had changed—ever since waking up from her illness, Lu Qiqi seemed strangely sharper than before.
Lu Qiqi looked at her hypocritical aunt and sneered inwardly. In her past life she had been a doctor; she had met all kinds of people and seen through human nature long ago. This woman wore a kindly face but harbored a venomous heart—a smiling tiger. The original Lu Qiqi had been deceived and flattered into blind submission, and look where that had gotten her. Since she now inhabited this body, she would see justice done on the original owner’s behalf.
Lu Qiqi blinked and looked straight at Sun Kaifeng.
“Since we are being frank, Second Aunt, I shall speak plainly. I will agree to this marriage, but only on three conditions.”
“First: Lu Chuan shall come with me as my husband’s family. I will take my younger brother along when I marry.”
“Second: You and Second Uncle shall go to the commune to have this officially notarized. From that day forward, Lu Chuan and I shall have no ties, obligations, or claims to the Lu family whatsoever. If we starve, we shall never come begging to the Lu family. And in return, neither you nor anyone else may use our names or lay claim to anything from us ever again.”
“Third: I am to receive half of the bride price. The remaining half I shall leave with the family—in settlement of all the years of upbringing I owe you. But what belongs to my late mother must be returned to me. And so must the house Grandmother left to Lu Chuan and me…”
“The house? What house?” Sun Kaifeng cut her off hastily. “Those two rooms have long since collapsed into rubble! There is no house to speak of!”
“Second Aunt… do you speak so lightly without fear Grandmother’s spirit might come for you in the night?”
Sun Kaifeng frowned. “Qiqi, that house belonged to your grandmother—and therefore to the Lu family. If you are cutting ties with this family, you cannot also claim Lu property.”
Lu Qiqi let out a short, cold laugh. She had never truly expected to recover the house. She knew Sun Kaifeng would never hand it over. Besides, Grandmother’s wish had been spoken only on her deathbed, with no written deed or legal proof whatsoever. Knowing Sun Kaifeng and Lu Jianshe’s greedy nature, the chances of reclaiming that house were practically zero.
“Very well—the house may be Lu family property. But what my mother left behind was not Lu family property. What say you, Second Aunt?”
Lu Qiqi’s true target was something else entirely: the carved wooden box her mother had left her. Exquisitely made and secured with a Lu Ban lock, it was designed so that even if Sun Kaifeng got her hands on it, she would never be able to pry it open.
She recalled that her mother’s family had been quite well-to-do, and that her mother had been greatly cherished. When she married, she had been given a dowry filled with fine and valuable things. Tragically… her mother’s family had later been denounced and persecuted. In the years since her mother’s death, the Lu family had severed all ties with her mother’s relatives.
Sun Kaifeng had at first intended to take the box to someone who could open it—but at the height of the campaign against “capitalist tails,” the risk was far too great. She dared not show it to anyone outside the house. If the box held jewels or gold, she feared she would not only lose them all, but could bring ruin upon the entire family and send them to labor reform. Now that Lu Qiqi demanded it back, Sun Kaifeng begrudged her. But between the house and the wooden box, the house was far more valuable—and that was what she truly wanted.
Still, the first condition—that Lu Qiqi take her younger brother with her—had genuinely surprised Sun Kaifeng. For a moment she had thought the girl had finally grown clever. Who would willingly take on a burdened child as a “trailing oil bottle”? What a fool!
But that was no longer Sun Kaifeng’s concern. If Lu Qiqi agreed to the marriage, everything else was negotiable.
“Very well. Second Aunt agrees to your terms. Though I should say—on the matter of the bride price—I cannot decide that alone. Your Second Uncle must also give his consent.”
“Then I shall leave it to Second Aunt to speak with him on my behalf.”
Sun Kaifeng watched Lu Qiqi’s ready agreement and felt a lingering, uneasy suspicion—something felt wrong, yet she could not say what. She shook the thought away. Likely just her imagination. Lu Qiqi had agreed to stand in for Meili; what harm could she possibly do now?
After Sun Kaifeng departed, Lu Qiqi rummaged in the corner and pulled out a tattered cloth bundle. Untying it, she found all the original owner’s worldly possessions: two pieces of candy and an enamel mirror, chipped and worn.
Her heart ached. She could not begin to imagine what kind of life this girl had endured. Carefully tucking the candy and mirror away, she steadied herself against the wall and stood up. Her body was severely malnourished and weak. The room swam before her eyes and she nearly collapsed. When her vision cleared, she searched further and found a small store of coarse grain flour. Her gaze softened—this flour, and those few pieces of candy, had clearly been saved for her younger brother.
Since she now lived in this girl’s place, she would ensure her brother was cared for. She hid the grain safely and walked slowly toward the doorway, leaning heavily on the wall. She was far too weak; if she did not regain her strength soon, she would not survive long enough to see justice done.
She had barely stepped outside when Sun Kaifeng returned.
“Second Aunt—has Second Uncle agreed to my terms?”
Sun Kaifeng nodded.
“He has. He says the bride price is rightfully yours to take half. And as for bringing Lu Chuan with you—he raises no objection. But he did ask me to inquire: would you be willing to advance your share of the bride price, so that Lu Jun may use it for his education?”
“Absolutely not.”
Lu Qiqi refused without hesitation. Lu Jun was Lu Meili’s younger brother—seventeen years old, the precious darling son of the family. Spoiled rotten from childhood, he had bullied and mistreated Lu Qiqi and her brother endlessly. Worse still—from the original owner’s memories—Lu Jun had once attempted to deceive and lure his own cousin into bed. The original owner had been innocent, but not foolish; she had seen through him and kept her guard up. As her cousin, he dared not boast of his intentions openly. So long as she remained watchful, he had never succeeded.