A flicker of anxiety crossed Bai Miaomiao’s heart, but she quickly resumed her pitiful, delicate expression.
Holding Lu Yaozu’s hand, she spoke in a sorrowful yet considerate tone.
“Brother Yaozu, are you really willing to go against your parents for me? I don’t want to make things difficult for you.”
Lu Yaozu immediately pulled her into his arms.
“Miaomiao, as long as I can marry you, nothing else matters.”
The faint fragrance lingering on the woman in his embrace intoxicated him as he breathed it in.
That was exactly the answer Bai Miaomiao had been waiting for.
“Brother Yaozu, I know how you feel. But we also have to think about our future. Your parents dislike me because my family is poor. If we’re going to be together, how can we possibly start a life with nothing?”
Lu Yaozu looked at her with tenderness and couldn’t help asking,
“Then what do you think we should do?”
Judging by Jiang Xiaoci’s attitude today, it was obvious she wouldn’t give him another chance.
Lu Yaozu had lived a smooth, sheltered life since childhood. His parents had always arranged everything for him.
Now that his relationship with Bai Miaomiao had run into trouble, he felt lost and couldn’t think of a better solution, so he instinctively turned to her for advice.
When she heard him ask, Bai Miaomiao suddenly came up with an idea.
“Brother Yaozu, don’t you think Jiang Xiaoci’s family is far too wealthy? There has to be something suspicious about it. If someone anonymously reports them, claiming their enormous fortune has an unknown source and accusing them of being capitalist sympathizers, then once word spreads that they’re about to be sent down to the countryside, you can go propose again. Do you really think they’d hesitate to marry their daughter off to you then?”
Lu Yaozu stared at her in shock.
“Miaomiao… isn’t there any other way? If we do that, Jiang Xiaoci’s parents will definitely be sent down.”
In those days, being labeled a capitalist or a supporter of capitalism carried devastating consequences.
Bai Miaomiao looked at him with misty, affectionate eyes, her voice filled with reluctant resolve.
“Brother Yaozu, for the sake of our future, this is the only choice we have.”
Lu Yaozu still hesitated.
“But… what if someone discovers we were the ones who reported them? Wouldn’t that be risky?”
Looking at him, Bai Miaomiao bit her lower lip. A trace of disdain flashed through her eyes.
Only now did she realize that Lu Yaozu wasn’t just useless—he was also a coward.
But she had no better option.
Her family was desperately poor. She had a younger brother, and her parents favored sons over daughters, never caring about her.
Lu Yaozu was the best man she could possibly marry, and her only chance to escape poverty.
Suppressing her impatience, she lowered her voice.
“Brother Yaozu, you’re so silly. We can send the report anonymously.”
As long as they left no clues behind, who could ever trace it back to them?
At last, Lu Yaozu was persuaded.
“You’re right. Miaomiao, you’re really clever.”
Smiling sweetly, Bai Miaomiao continued,
“Think about it. As long as someone leaks the news to Jiang Xiaoci’s parents that they’re about to be sent down, they’ll surely realize that having all their property confiscated would be worse than giving as much of it as possible to Jiang Xiaoci as her dowry.”
Lu Yaozu nodded repeatedly.
“That makes sense.”
The Jiang family was well-off. The thought of their considerable wealth made his heart itch with greed.
“Then, Brother Yaozu, you can reluctantly marry Jiang Xiaoci. She’ll bring a generous dowry with her. Once all that property is in your hands… won’t you be free to do whatever you want afterward?”
His eyes gradually lit up.
The more he thought about it, the more brilliant the plan seemed.
Bai Miaomiao knew she had convinced him.
She seized the opportunity and clasped his hand tightly.
“Brother Yaozu, for our future, we have to try. This is our only chance.”
Finally making up his mind, Lu Yaozu gritted his teeth.
“Fine. We’ll do it your way. I’ll write the report immediately.”
Bai Miaomiao smiled knowingly.
“Mm.”
To reassure her, Lu Yaozu immediately went to buy paper and a pen. Finding a quiet place, he began writing the anonymous report.
As a high school graduate, composing such a letter was easy for him.
He wrote two full pages, signing it with no name.
After finishing, he read it over again with satisfaction.
“To the Respected Investigation Committee:
I wish to report Jiang Decai’s family…
Though they appear to be an ordinary household, they are in fact deeply hidden capitalist sympathizers. Their family possesses enormous wealth of unknown origin, which was very likely accumulated through illegal means…
I sincerely hope the Investigation Committee will intervene as soon as possible to uncover the truth.”
After checking the contents several times to ensure there were no mistakes, Lu Yaozu carefully sealed the letter and mailed it.
He would make Jiang Xiaoci’s family pay for rejecting him.
He would seize their wealth and live a life of luxury with Bai Miaomiao.
The more he imagined it, the happier he became.
With light steps, he returned to the Lu family’s ancestral residence.
The Lu estate was enormous.
As soon as he entered, a servant informed him that the old master was speaking with his parents in the main hall.
Grandfather Lu was strict, conservative, and intimidating. Lu Yaozu had always been somewhat afraid of him.
Although inwardly annoyed, he obediently headed into the hall.
Grandfather Lu sat in the seat of honor on an antique armchair, leisurely sipping tea while listening to someone beside him.
When he saw Lu Yaozu enter, he slowly set down his teacup.
“Yaozu, you’re never home. Where have you been today?”
His deep voice carried unmistakable authority.
Putting on a flattering smile, Lu Yaozu answered,
“Grandfather, I went to propose marriage.”
The old man’s eyebrows rose slightly.
“Propose? Which family’s daughter caught your eye?”
Before Lu Yaozu could answer, his parents eagerly explained.
“Father, it’s the Jiang family’s daughter. She’s an excellent girl in every respect, and she’s a good match for Yaozu.”
Lu Yaozu’s father, Lu Yuanshan, added,
“Father, I was the one who encouraged Yaozu to pursue this marriage. The Jiang family has an excellent background—worthy of our Yaozu.”
His mother chimed in,
“That’s right, Father. Just like us, the Jiangs have only one child. Jiang Xiaoci is their only daughter. If she and Yaozu marry, both families can support each other. The young couple will never have to worry about making a good living.”
No one noticed that the moment Lu Yaozu heard Jiang Xiaoci’s name, his expression stiffened and hatred flashed briefly across his eyes.
Grandfather Lu’s face softened somewhat.
“Good. It’s about time Yaozu settled down and started a family…”
Before he could finish speaking, a fit of suppressed coughing suddenly came from one side of the living room.
Following the sound, Lu Yaozu looked over in surprise.
Only then did he notice that his youngest uncle, Lu Zhoushan—who had spent years recuperating elsewhere due to chronic illness—had unexpectedly returned home.
Lu Zhoushan sat alone on a sofa to one side.
He coughed several times before taking a few sips of hot tea, finally calming down.
Looking up at the family members staring at him, he smiled apologetically.
“It’s nothing. Just the same old illness.”
Perhaps because of his poor health, Lu Zhoushan’s skin was extraordinarily pale—smooth and delicate like fine porcelain, beautiful yet fragile.
He was strikingly handsome as well, with a straight nose, thick eyelashes, and a small beauty mark beneath the corner of one eye that made his features exceptionally captivating.
Yet his expression remained calm and detached, his frail appearance lending him an aloof, almost ethereal air.
Though it was still early spring and the brazier in the living room filled the house with comforting warmth, everyone else wore light clothing.
Only Lu Zhoushan remained wrapped in a thick military overcoat, curled up on the sofa, looking tired, languid, and unmistakably fragile.