Why not make full use of it? She soon discovered that anything brought into the space from outside did not appear inside the wooden house. Instead, a separate room had appeared beside it—completely empty, with no furnishings of any kind. Everything she brought in was neatly arranged there, sorted by type. Clearly, this room was meant specifically for storage.
Satisfied that her space could indeed hold goods, Lu Qiqi wasted no time. She returned most items exactly where she had found them. Only two things remained safely within the space: the carved wooden box her mother had left her, and all the money she had reclaimed from the Lu and Sun families.
Before leaving, she felt thirsty. She walked to the bubbling spring, took the gourd ladle resting beside the pool, and drank deep.
The moment the water touched her lips, she paused in wonder. It was incredibly sweet and pure. She drank another ladleful, and as it went down, she felt a wave of cool, refreshing clarity wash over her. This was no ordinary water—her senses felt sharper, her spirit lighter.
A thought struck her: this must be the legendary Spirit Spring. It might not raise the dead or heal mortal wounds, but it surely strengthened the body and restored health.
From now on, she would make certain Little Chuan drank from it often. He had been frail and sickly since birth, his stomach weakened by years of poor food and bitter medicine. With this water, Lu Qiqi felt confident she could nurse him back to full health.
Refreshed and wide awake, she felt no need for sleep at all. Dawn was still hours away—and she had a bold idea.
Behind the dressing table mirror in the bathroom, she found an array of cosmetics. She applied them skillfully, and when she stepped back, her appearance had subtly changed—enough to go unrecognized.
Stealthily, she slipped out of the room and past the inn desk, where the staff were fast asleep. She slipped unnoticed into the night and hurried toward the Lu family home.
Lu Qiqi was a woman who believed in settling scores: kindness repaid, wrongs redressed. If she could not yet act, she would wait—but if she could strike now, she would never let the sun rise on vengeance unclaimed. And with her storage space, she was fully equipped.
She arrived at the Lu family compound, rows of factory housing blocks she knew well. She slipped undetected into Lu Jianshe’s home and cleared out their entire stock of grain. Then, searching carefully in the wall cavity above Sun Kaifeng and Lu Jianshe’s bed, she found an oilcloth bundle—and gasped. Inside lay two hundred and fifty yuan.
She had once seen Sun Kaifeng hiding money in that very spot, and knew this was their entire household savings. She took the money and grain without hesitation, then—spotting their heavy iron cooking pot, worth a pretty penny—she took that too.
From there, she made her way to the apartment blocks nearby, where lower-ranking factory supervisors lived. Several of those men had looked upon the original Lu Qiqi with shameless, leering eyes. Thin and sallow though she had been, her features were fine and delicate—one day, well-fed and cared for, she would be strikingly beautiful. Their stares had been unwelcome, and they had done nothing to deserve mercy.
Lu Qiqi visited each of their homes in turn. She had taken only grain and money from Lu Jianshe because his home was shabby, dirty, and worthless—she would not touch his ragged bedding or worn furniture. But these other households were well-kept, their grain abundant, their furnishings respectable. She took everything of value she could carry, leaving nothing behind. These men were known for their cruelty and greed—and she would leave them with nothing.
Around five o’clock in the morning, she returned to her room and lay quietly beside Lu Chuan. Barely had she settled when a soft knock came at the door.
“Qiqi…?”
Gu Mufeng’s voice. She rose quickly and opened the door.
“Is it time to leave? Give me a moment—we shall be ready immediately.”
Gu Mufeng shook his head gently. “There is no rush. Pack at your leisure; I shall go purchase tickets first. The earliest train departs at six. Once I have them, I shall return and we will eat. We shall be traveling for two days—we must bring enough provisions.”
Lu Qiqi nodded. “Very well. We shall follow your lead.”
Gu Mufeng looked at his young wife standing there, fresh from sleep. His heart gave a soft, quiet lurch. Somehow, she seemed lovelier than the day before—her skin noticeably fairer, though still slender and fragile. Nourish her well, he told himself. That will take time and patience.
He turned and left for the station. Lu Qiqi turned to wake Lu Chuan—only to find him already sitting up, wide awake.
“Sister… are we leaving now?”
She stepped forward and helped him dress gently. “Soon. Brother Mufeng has gone for tickets. Wash quickly—when he returns, we shall all go eat together.”
“I am not hungry, Sister. I need nothing.” No sooner had he spoken than his stomach gave a loud, rumbling growl. He blushed bright red in embarrassment.
Lu Qiqi smiled tenderly and smoothed his hair. “Little Chuan, you are growing—you must eat well. And we shall spend two days upon the train; how will you endure the journey on an empty stomach?”
Lu Chuan nodded obediently. “Yes, Sister. I shall listen to you.”
She finished dressing him, and they both washed and tidied themselves. Packing was simple—Lu Chuan had nothing but the ill-fitting clothes upon his back. She herself possessed only one set of change. She wrapped their few belongings in the tattered cloth bundle she had brought from the Lu family—and that was all.
They sat quietly waiting by the bed. Before long, Gu Mufeng returned.
“Tickets are for six o’clock. We have two hours yet. Come—let us walk about and find some breakfast.”
“Brother-in-law!” Lu Chuan called out cheerfully, hurrying forward without needing prompting.
Gu Mufeng ruffled his hair affectionately. “Such a good boy. Are you hungry? Come—Brother-in-law shall take you to the state-run restaurant for a proper meal.”
He walked ahead, holding Lu Chuan’s hand, while Lu Qiqi followed behind. Together they made their way toward the same restaurant where Gu Mufeng had bought food the evening before. Though barely six in the morning, the restaurant was already open and serving.