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Hu Ouhua boiled water and brought it upstairs, then threw herself into a frenzy of cleaning. She scrubbed every corner of the courtyard inside and out, and even washed all the clothes piled in the bucket.
For some reason, the more she worked, the happier she felt. Her body and mind felt lighter.
The frustration and helplessness that had weighed on her for days vanished in that moment.
Finally, she prepared to go buy groceries.
Lu Yuetang called out to her, “There’s money and ration tickets in the drawer. I spoke with Old Liu, and he set aside three pounds of pork belly and a carp. Make a few more dishes—someone’s coming over for lunch.”
“Okay.”
Hu Ouhua took the money and tickets from the drawer and rushed to the market.
When she returned, she immediately began preparing and cooking, working nonstop. By noon, all the dishes were ready, but the guests had yet to arrive. Worried that the food would get cold, she kept everything warm in a steamer.
“Excuse me, is this Zhonggulou…? I’m looking for a Mr. Lu.”
Hu Ouhua was utterly shocked.
She ran out of the kitchen in disbelief and saw a familiar figure standing at the courtyard entrance—it was none other than her father, Hu Daquan.
“Dad! How did you find this place?” she exclaimed.
Hu Daquan shook his head.
Scratching his head, he said, “I went to the police station to ask about your sister, but they told me to come here. They said that as long as I found Mr. Lu, I’d understand everything.”
“Come inside.”
At this moment, Lu Yuetang had changed out of his usual military uniform. He wore a white T-shirt, brown shorts, and a pair of cotton slippers, looking relaxed and comfortable.
Hu Daquan, who had little exposure to people of high status, still felt an invisible pressure from Lu Yuetang, despite his casual appearance. His deep-seated inferiority complex made him lower his head as he apologized, “I’m sorry to disturb you. My daughter, Ouhua, is a good girl—she’s hardworking and diligent…”
“Mm.”
Lu Yuetang didn’t say much.
He turned to Hu Ouhua and said, “Invite your father in. He’s the guest of honor today.”
Just then, Shen Fubai arrived with a few others, all dressed casually, not in military uniforms.
“Teacher Sun…” Hu Ouhua was stunned.
She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, feeling a bit emotional.
Teacher Sun looked around in surprise, then smiled warmly when he saw Hu Ouhua. “Your cousin’s home is quite nice. You never mentioned it before.”
Cousin…
A strange warmth filled Hu Ouhua’s heart.
She hadn’t expected Lu Yuetang to be so considerate.
“Uncle, you should recognize this man,” Shen Fubai said, pulling someone forward.
Hu Daquan looked up and saw that it was the workshop director from the railway department. His eyes widened in shock. “Director! Why… why are you here?”
Wasn’t he supposed to be investigating his younger daughter’s case?
At that moment, Lu Yuetang spoke calmly, “Cousin, shouldn’t you start bringing out the dishes? Our guests are all here, and I’m hungry.”
“Oh! Yes, right away.”
Hu Ouhua wiped her tears and began bringing out the prepared dishes.
Hu Daquan initially wanted to ask questions, but after being interrupted by Shen Fubai three times, he realized it wasn’t the right time, so he quietly drank and ate instead.
Tasting his daughter’s cooking for the first time, he was shocked. “Hua Hua, I never knew you could cook so well. You must have had a hard time before… I failed you as a father.”
Before Hu Ouhua could respond, Lu Yuetang picked up a piece of fish and said indifferently, “Boiling water for the workers is a task anyone can do. Improving their living conditions is something their leader should be doing.”
The director’s face turned beet red.
He understood the deeper meaning behind Lu Yuetang’s words and realized that someone living in such a grand house must have an extraordinary background. He had completely overlooked this before.
Feeling uneasy, he quickly went over to Hu Daquan, grabbed his hand, and apologized, “Old Hu, I’ve let you suffer all these years. That’s on me. Don’t worry, when we return, I’ll make sure to reassign you to a better position.”
Hu Daquan was dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe his ears.
After the gathering, Lu Yuetang, feeling a bit tired, went upstairs to rest. Shen Fubai arranged for his men to escort the guests out, personally driving Hu Daquan home.
In the car, Shen Fubai glanced at Hu Daquan and said, “Uncle Hu, I know you want to ask about your younger daughter. But first, you should go home and talk to your wife—ask her what really happened. There might still be a chance to save your daughter.”
Hu Daquan was filled with doubts.
However, after everything that had happened, he no longer acted impulsively. He felt like he was beginning to understand something, but couldn’t quite grasp it.
He decided to go home and question Wang Chunlan.
Hu Ouhua had been busy all day, yet strangely, she didn’t feel tired at all. Instead, she was full of energy and even completed a set of practice exams that Teacher Sun had given her.
After finishing, she stretched and glanced at the military knife on her desk. After some thought, she picked it up and walked upstairs.
Knock.
She knocked on the door and called softly, “Commander Lu, are you asleep?”
“I am.”
Lu Yuetang’s voice was clear and direct.
Hu Ouhua chuckled in frustration.
But then he added, “The door’s not locked.”
For some reason, her face flushed. She braced herself and pushed the door open.
Inside, Lu Yuetang was sitting in a chair by the bed, seemingly resting.
The lights were off.
His silhouette appeared both cold and lonely.
“If you’re here to thank me, there’s no need,” he said coolly. “The military knife was my gift. It concerns my reputation and my future—I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.”
“No, I came to return it. I think—”
“I never take back what I give away,” Lu Yuetang interrupted. “If you don’t want it, throw it away.”
His dark eyes gleamed in the darkness.
Hu Ouhua shivered slightly.
She clutched the military knife tightly to her chest. After a long moment, she finally made up her mind. “Alright. I will make sure I’m worthy of it. I’ll use it well and won’t burden you again.”
“Not bad. You have decent comprehension. For the sake of your future, you should focus on your studies and not let irrelevant matters distract you. You can leave now—I have nothing more to say.”
“Alright, I will.”
Hu Ouhua gripped the knife, turned, and left the room, closing the door behind her.
As the sound of the door locking echoed in the silence, Lu Yuetang closed his eyes once again.
Yesterday, Shen Fubai had asked, “I’ve noticed you treat Hu Ouhua differently. I’ve never seen you put this much effort into anyone before. Why?”
Indeed.
Why?
Lu Yuetang had asked himself the same question.
Perhaps, in Hu Ouhua, he saw a reflection of his past self—the determination to rise despite adversity.
Watching her succeed, step by step, felt as if it was healing the powerless child he once was.