Chapter 18 – The Packages from Home

Zhao Yu sprinted all the way back. Not far from the dorms, she spotted Lu Jing standing there, head hanging in dejection.

In front of him, Wang Jianguo’s mother jabbed a finger at his forehead, scolding him so harshly her face was twisted with rage.

When Lu Jing noticed Zhao Yu looking over, a flash of embarrassment crossed his face.

He had just opened his mouth to say something to her when Zhao Yu, eyes fixed straight ahead, strode right past without even sparing him a glance.

“Zhao Yu!” Lu Jing called her name involuntarily. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

But Zhao Yu acted as if she hadn’t heard a word. Her steps didn’t falter as she walked toward the dormitory building.

Something in Lu Jing snapped. He shoved Wang Jianguo’s mother aside and rushed forward, blocking Zhao Yu’s path.

“Zhao Yu! Last night you abandoned me—I waited here for you the whole night!”

“So what?”

Although Zhao Yu had guessed by now that Lu Jing no longer thought much of Lin Shu, she hadn’t expected him to pester her like this.

“Have you thought over my proposal from last night?”

Lu Jing lowered his voice. “If you agree, I’ll go fight for it right now. As for you and Lin Shu plotting against me together—I can pretend it never happened.”

“You’re sick.”

Zhao Yu didn’t even bother looking at him. She shook him off and walked straight into the dorm.

Even from a distance, she could still hear Wang Jianguo’s mother’s shrill curses hurled at Lu Jing.

Since Ning Songxu had only given birth in the early hours of the morning, Zhao Yu hadn’t taken leave from training. After a quick wash-up, she rushed to the training room.

Just as she was about to begin, a few female comrades dragged her into a corner.

“What’s up with you and Ning Songyun lately? Something fresh has happened in our military district.”

“What kind of fresh news?”

“It’s about Lin Shu’s family. Remember how that old lady came to make a scene? Somehow they reached an agreement—she’s now agreed to let Lin Shu and Lu Jing get married.

But after the marriage, Wang Jianguo’s child still has to be born and raised.

Every month, they also have to give the old lady 50 yuan for her living expenses, and whenever she misses her grandson, she can come and stay.

Marrying a wife while still having to support her former mother-in-law—never heard of such a thing. Yet Lu Jing actually agreed!”

“What’s there for him to disagree with? Haven’t you heard? Wang Jianguo died saving Lu Jing.

Lu Jing’s been saying all along he’d repay that debt no matter what.”

Another girl, stretching as she spoke, shot a glance at Zhao Yu. “I heard before that you were dating him. Honestly, not marrying him was your stroke of luck.”

“Exactly! You’re really lucky.

Otherwise, you’d not only have to serve your parents-in-law but also take care of your savior’s widow, her child, and even her mother-in-law. That wouldn’t be a life for a human.”

Zhao Yu only smiled faintly, saying nothing.

In her past life, wasn’t that exactly the kind of life she had endured?

During a break in training, Zhao Yu sat chatting with the girls.

“On Friday we’re setting off for Heilongjiang Province. How’s everyone’s prep going?”

“Prep for what?”

“I heard it’s already cold there by October. We’ll be staying at least a month, so shouldn’t you bring warmer clothes?”

“Oh! I’d have forgotten if you hadn’t reminded me.”

Listening, Zhao Yu’s fingers tightened nervously.

This trip to Heilongjiang would be the very first time—across both her lifetimes—that she would truly take the lead in a performance for the art troupe.

“Yuyu, what are you daydreaming about?”

A pat landed on her shoulder. Zhao Yu turned to see Ning Songyun plopping down beside her.

“When did you come back?”

“My mom shooed me back.” Ning Songyun spread her hands helplessly.

“She found out I took several days off to look after my sister, so now she won’t let me rest at all before Heilongjiang. Every off-day has to be spent making up for training.”

The more she spoke, the more defeated she looked, finally collapsing against Zhao Yu.

“Don’t be discouraged, I’ll stay and train with you.”

“Really?” Ning Songyun’s eyes sparkled like a lively little calico kitten.

“Really.”

Zhao Yu couldn’t resist poking her forehead. “How’s your sister doing?”

“Mom says everything’s fine. This time the Liang family won’t get away—at least a year or two in prison.

My brother-in-law was supposed to transfer the household registration tomorrow, but guess what happened when they checked at the police station?”

“What happened?”

Ning Songyun leaned close, whispering mysteriously.

“Turns out my brother-in-law isn’t even their biological son! What started as suspected child trafficking became solid proof of human trafficking.

I always wondered—how could people like the Liangs give birth to someone as capable and responsible as my brother-in-law? Turns out, he isn’t theirs at all.”

“No wonder that old woman was willing to switch babies just to favor her younger son.”

“Exactly. Anyway, they’ll definitely be sentenced this time. And since my brother-in-law isn’t their blood, my sister’s child won’t be implicated. Happy ending for us all.”

Leaning against Zhao Yu’s shoulder, Ning Songyun sighed dreamily. “Now we should think about Heilongjiang! It’ll be my first time there. What about you?”

“I’ve never been.”

In truth, Lu Jing’s hometown was in Heilongjiang. Zhao Yu had been there before, but always to serve her in-laws. She had never once stepped outside the production team to explore.

So to her, it was as if she had never been there at all.

“Then once we go, we must explore whenever we’re not performing!”

Brimming with excitement, Ning Songyun even managed to tackle the extra training sessions with renewed energy.

Fortunately, He Fang wasn’t too unfeeling. Seeing that Zhao Yu also stayed behind to train, she granted them a day off right before departure.

With He Fang’s help packing, Ning Songyun accompanied Zhao Yu to the post office.

Outside, Zhao Yu set down three nearly half-human-height packages she had just collected, glancing around to find the bus stop.

“Yuyu? These are all yours?! What on earth is inside—they’re so heavy!”

Struggling to drag the parcels out, Ning Songyun stared at her in shock.

Zhao Yu nodded, her expression touched with both nostalgia and sadness as she looked at them.

In her past life, she too had received these same packages from home.

But back then, Lu Jing had taken them “on her behalf”—claiming she wouldn’t be going to Heilongjiang anyway—and handed them all to Lin Shu.

She had never even known what her family had sent.

“The bus is here, let’s go!”

“Mm.”

Just as Zhao Yu and Ning Songyun left, Lin Shu walked into the post office.

Barely three minutes later, she came out pale-faced, clutching a letter already torn open.

Passing a trash bin, she suddenly seemed to realize something, viciously shredded the letter into pieces, and tossed them inside.