The moment those words left her mouth, Jiang Xiaoci’s parents were stunned. They looked at each other in disbelief.
They had assumed that since the young man had come to propose marriage, he must have already fallen in love with their daughter.
Lu Yaozu was equally dumbfounded. It was as if he were seeing Jiang Xiaoci for the first time. Gone was every trace of the contempt he had felt toward her. He hurriedly tried to explain, stammering, “Xiaoci, that’s not what it is…”
But no matter how silver-tongued he was, Jiang Xiaoci couldn’t be bothered to listen to another word.
She cut him off immediately.
“There’s no need to explain anymore, Lu Yaozu. I won’t agree to this marriage, and I will never marry you. Please leave my house.”
Scenes from her previous life flashed vividly through her mind—the despair on her parents’ faces when they were sent away, the agony of enduring domestic violence, Bai Miaomiao’s vicious, triumphant smile…
The fact that she could remain this calm in front of Lu Yaozu was already the result of tremendous restraint.
Her parents, however, had no idea what was going on and were completely taken aback.
Seeing how coldly her daughter was treating him, Mrs. Jiang couldn’t help but advise gently, “Xiaoci, mind your manners. He’s still a guest.”
Jiang Xiaoci looked at her mother with gentle eyes, but her voice remained firm.
“Mom, the Jiang family will never have this guest again.”
Her words were resolute and unwavering.
Mrs. Jiang froze for a moment before turning to Lu Yaozu with an apologetic look.
Mr. Jiang adjusted the reading glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. He looked at his daughter, then at Lu Yaozu.
He said nothing, but he understood enough.
His daughter wasn’t someone who threw tantrums without reason. She had just accused Lu Yaozu of courting another woman while suddenly showing up to propose to her. There had to be more to the story.
Quietly observing Lu Yaozu, Mr. Jiang no longer displayed the warmth he had shown earlier.
Inside, Lu Yaozu was furious.
What was wrong with this family?
They spoiled their daughter so much that she dared treat people like this.
If he actually married her, wouldn’t he have to treat her like a princess?
Just as expected—a capitalist family’s way of raising children.
What he hadn’t expected even more was that Jiang Xiaoci would reject him so bluntly, without leaving him even a shred of dignity.
Yet no matter how angry he was, he had to keep pretending to be the polite, refined gentleman.
“I’m sorry, Xiaoci. I was too presumptuous.”
Still confused, Mrs. Jiang said apologetically, “Since Xiaoci isn’t willing… Yaozu, about this marriage…”
Lu Yaozu put on a wounded expression, yet still maintained his gentlemanly demeanor.
“It’s alright, Aunt Jiang. If Xiaoci doesn’t want to, then let’s leave it at that.”
He turned to Jiang Xiaoci with what appeared to be deep affection.
“Xiaoci, don’t be angry anymore. I’ll leave now. But you have to believe me—I came to propose because I truly love you. I’m sincere about you. I’ll explain everything to you someday. There’s no one else in my heart but you.”
His words made Jiang Xiaoci feel sick.
Looking at him, she sneered inwardly.
This man really is an incredible actor.
Her expression didn’t soften in the slightest. She remained seated without moving.
“And don’t forget to take the gifts you brought with you.”
In this lifetime, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with Lu Yaozu ever again.
She didn’t want a single thing that belonged to him.
Lu Yaozu’s expression stiffened. He struggled to keep himself from losing control.
Seeing the situation, Mr. Jiang finally spoke.
“Take your things and leave.”
Then he looked at his wife.
“See Yaozu out.”
Mrs. Jiang responded with an “Alright.”
Too embarrassed to pick up his gifts himself in front of the Jiang father and daughter, Lu Yaozu could only watch as Mrs. Jiang gathered everything and forced it into his hands.
“Yaozu, Xiaoci is still young and immature. Please don’t hold it against her. Be careful on your way home.”
It had to be said that Lu Yaozu’s self-control was remarkable.
Even after all that, he still smiled gently toward Jiang Xiaoci, his face filled with apparent tenderness and reluctance.
“It’s alright, Aunt Jiang. Xiaoci misunderstood me. I should’ve told her about the proposal beforehand instead of surprising her. I frightened her. It’s all my fault.”
Jiang Xiaoci simply turned her head away, her face expressionless.
Those righteous-sounding words might deceive everyone else…
But they would never deceive her again.
Seeing that she remained completely unmoved, Lu Yaozu could only leave in disappointment.
Mrs. Jiang escorted him to the gate and only returned inside after he had gone.
Both of Jiang Xiaoci’s parents sat beside her, concern written all over their faces. They were just about to ask what had happened when the emotions Jiang Xiaoci had been suppressing for so long finally burst free.
“Waaah!”
Before either of them could speak, she threw herself into her parents’ arms and sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.
Seeing Lu Yaozu again filled her with anger and disgust.
But at the same time, she was overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude.
She had been reborn.
Her parents were still alive.
She still had a chance to change both her own fate and theirs.
Joy and sorrow crashed together in her heart, making it impossible to control her emotions.
Her parents were completely bewildered by her reaction and hurried to comfort her.
“Xiaoci, what’s wrong? Why are you crying so hard?” Mrs. Jiang held her daughter tightly, gently patting her back just as she had when Xiaoci was little.
Mr. Jiang also comforted her.
“Xiaoci, even if Lu Yaozu really was seeing another girl while coming here to propose to you, he’s not worth crying over. Our Jiang family’s daughter can find plenty of outstanding young men. If he’s no good, then we don’t want him anyway.”
Hearing her parents’ wholehearted love and concern only made Jiang Xiaoci’s heart ache even more.
Crying, she finally said,
“Dad… Mom… that’s not it. I… I just had a terrifying dream.”
“In the dream, I rejected his proposal. But… but he became furious out of humiliation and secretly reported our family for having capitalist tendencies.”
“You were both sent away.”
“To keep me from being sent away too, you had no choice but to marry me off to him. You figured that since our property was going to be confiscated anyway, you might as well give me half of the family assets as my dowry before it happened.”
“Then… then he abused me…”
“And… and the two of you died tragically because of him…”
By the time she reached this point, she could barely speak through her sobs.
Mrs. Jiang hugged her daughter tightly, her heart breaking.
“There, there. Don’t be afraid. Your father and I are here. It was only a dream… just a dream. Don’t be scared.”
“But, Mom… Dad… everything that happened today was exactly the same as in my dream.”
The couple exchanged shocked glances before asking almost simultaneously,
“Really?”
“R-Really. When Lu Yaozu came to propose today, the very first things he said, even the clothes he was wearing—they were exactly the same as in my dream.”
“Dad… Mom… I’m scared. I’m really scared… sob…”
She cried harder, shaking her head desperately.
It hadn’t been a dream.
It was everything she had truly experienced in her previous life.
But how could she possibly explain such an absurd and tragic past to her parents?
Mr. Jiang, however, remained remarkably calm.
As the head of the household, he naturally possessed a steadier disposition.
“Xiaoci, don’t cry.”
“Dad believes your dream was real.”
“Why would you have such a dream today of all days? This has to be a warning from Heaven for our family.”
He exchanged a look with his wife.
Both husband and wife believed in ghosts, spirits, and divine justice—that good would be rewarded and evil punished.
Almost immediately, they realized something was terribly wrong.
Mrs. Jiang’s face turned pale as she held her daughter even tighter.
“You’re right. Could this really have been a prophetic dream?”
“Our Jiang family has always accumulated virtue and treated others kindly. It must be the gods above protecting our family.”