Lu Rao remembered.
Back then, her younger self had nodded clumsily, her expression serious as she made a promise to her father.
“I’ll remember, Dad. Don’t worry. No matter where I go in the future, I’ll bring the little horse Grandpa gave me.”
Unfortunately—
According to the plot, the unawakened her had later been framed and tortured to death, never fulfilling that promise.
Countless thoughts surged through Lu Rao’s heart as her hand quietly moved to the inner side of the bronze horse’s right hind leg. Her fingers pressed lightly.
A thumb-sized, rectangular bronze piece fell into her palm.
“Rao Rao, look—this little horse has a removable piece on its leg.
“See? Doesn’t it look like a crouching little tiger?
“Remember, it has a name. It’s called a tiger tally.”
“Dad, Rao Rao remembers. It’s called a tiger tally. I’ll listen to you—I won’t tell anyone. This is a secret just between Rao Rao and Dad.”
With a thought, the cold bronze piece in her palm was stored into her space.
None of the people watching her noticed her small movement.
No one imagined that the bronze horse hid such a secret.
Lu Rao calmly withdrew her hand and continued opening the other boxes, taking out items one by one as she reminisced.
Not a single clan member urged her.
Even the most hot-tempered among them held back.
They really could bend and stretch for the sake of wealth.
Afraid of exposing any flaw, Lu Rao went through every item in all four chests, recounting each one.
Only after she finished did they finally speak with feigned indifference.
“That’s enough. The dead are gone, the living remain. These things no longer belong to you. No amount of nostalgia will change that.”
“That’s right. Didn’t they say you’ve already been signed up to go to the countryside? You’ll be leaving in three days—better go pack.”
“It’s getting late today. Tomorrow, the Lu family will transfer your household registration out. Once you’re outside, you are not to claim yourself as a member of the Lu family. Remember—this family has nothing to do with you anymore.”
…
Lu Rao listened quietly.
She stood up in silence, lowered her head, and closed the four chests one by one, her fingertips gently brushing over the fine sandalwood.
In her heart, she spoke to them:
“Tonight, I’ll come take you away.”
There was only one heir to the Lu family.
And that was her—Lu Rao.
No one else would ever lay a finger on what belonged to her.
Now that she possessed the spatial ability, retrieving her belongings without anyone noticing was entirely possible.
Seeing how cooperative Lu Rao was, Lu Xiong was very satisfied. He exchanged glances with a few close clan members and called for people to carry the chests away.
In his mind, these items were already his—taking them was only natural.
Gu Yucheng, however, was growing increasingly anxious.
It was one thing for the clan to safeguard the items—but they absolutely could not be moved out of the residence.
Otherwise, what would they have to do with him anymore?
Especially that dragon-phoenix jade pendant—he had clearly seen the determination in Lu Xiong’s eyes earlier.
Once those chests left the residence, there would be no chance of getting them back.
“Wait.”
Without thinking, Gu Yucheng yanked Qiao Shuxin off the bench and kicked her behind the knees, forcing her to kneel before the clan elders.
“Hurry and kowtow to your uncles. You’re already the Lu family’s heir—pay your respects to the elders!”
Caught completely off guard, Qiao Shuxin fell forward flat on her face, her teeth striking the golden brick floor and drawing blood.
She turned her head, staring at Gu Yucheng in disbelief, the hatred in her eyes almost tangible.
“What are you looking at? Hurry up and kowtow!” Gu Yucheng nearly slapped her on impulse.
But he restrained himself.
Right now, Qiao Shuxin was publicly his elder brother’s daughter—the Lu family’s young lady.
He couldn’t hit her in front of others.
“You—!” Qiao Shuxin burned with hatred, but before she could speak, Gu Yucheng whispered:
“Only if the clan acknowledges your status as heir now can those chests stay here.”
Her body stiffened.
That’s right—she was now the Lu family’s young lady.
Everything belonging to the Lu family was hers.
As for her true identity—so long as Gu Yucheng kept silent, no one would know she was merely an illegitimate child.
“Uncles, Shuxin greets you.”
Having made up her mind, Qiao Shuxin immediately kowtowed three times.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Each one forceful.
Lu Rao clicked her tongue inwardly.
As expected—people would do anything for wealth.
Qiao Shuxin could bend and endure.
But the Lu family elders were not so easily fooled.
Lu Xiong had already claimed the four chests as his own—there was no way he would spit them back out.
So no matter how Qiao Shuxin kowtowed or tried to ingratiate herself, they refused to confirm her status as heir.
“To become the Lu family heir, identity proof alone is not enough. The ancestral hall must be opened, and the ancestors must witness it. Only if they acknowledge you will you qualify.”
Whether the ancestors “acknowledged” her… left plenty of room for manipulation.
Qiao Shuxin had experienced this once before.
In her previous life, the clan had tampered with the recognition process—she never successfully became the heir.
The Lu family’s visible assets were divided among the clan members.
Lu Xiong, in particular, took the largest share.
“Wait… in my previous life, these four chests were never brought out. Later, Gu Yucheng took them abroad and squandered everything.”
Recalling the hellish life she endured overseas, Qiao Shuxin’s hatred surged once more.
“Could my rebirth have changed things?”
She didn’t dare think too deeply about it right now.
What mattered was keeping these four chests—she couldn’t let that cunning old fox Lu Xiong take them.
“Fourth Uncle.”
Qiao Shuxin kowtowed again. When she straightened up, her face was already covered in tears, her expression pitiful as she looked at the elders.
“Uncles, this is the dowry my father left for me. I truly wish to keep it. Could you give it to me?”
She deliberately emphasized “dowry”—justified, rightful—paired with tearful eyes and the trace of blood on her lips, making her look like a delicate flower being bullied by her own clan.
That acting.
Lu Rao almost wanted to applaud.
Even better than her own.
No wonder, in the novel, Qiao Shuxin managed to win over so many people and become everyone’s favorite.
Aside from the protagonist halo, her acting skills played a huge role.
Unfortunately—
She miscalculated.
The moment the clan elders saw her display, they frowned before Lu Xiong could even speak.
“What kind of behavior is this? Crying like this—how can someone so weak be the heir of the Lu family?”
“Wipe your tears. The Lu family has no use for weaklings!”