Chapter 4

In her past life, after Lin Qian agreed to this favor, she ended up becoming the Lu family’s unpaid servant and housemaid for the rest of her life.

After finishing her meal, Lin Qian rode her bicycle out. As she entered the alley of the residential compound, she vaguely heard a couple arguing—it was Director Hu and his wife.

She remembered that Director Hu was a notoriously philandering old man. In her past life, there had even been rumors within the compound about him having an affair with Lu’s mother.

Back then, Lin Qian had staunchly taken Lu’s mother’s side, firmly believing in her innocence. So, she had never really found out whether Lu’s mother had anything improper going on with that old man.

But now that she had been reborn, whether or not the rumor was true, she was going to strike first this time—just in case.

She remembered that the gossip had claimed Lu’s mother used her underwear as a token to seduce Director Hu. Since Lu’s mother worked in the office as a clerk, she shared the same space with Director Hu. Though she already had two kids, she still had a curvy figure and a lingering charm.

Lin Qian immediately returned to the Lu house.

She quickly found one of Lu’s mother’s bright red bras in the bedroom closet. Just as she was about to leave, she remembered that Lu’s mother was obsessed with cleanliness and washed her clothes daily—something Lin Qian knew well, as she had been the one doing all the laundry for the Lu family these past few days.

So she went downstairs to the washroom, and sure enough, she found the undergarments Lu’s mother had worn the night before.

Since she didn’t know which style Director Hu preferred, she decided to send both bras in the package.

At that moment, the paralyzed old Mr. Lu, lying in bed, heard noise in the house again. Apparently needing to relieve himself, he called out, “Qian Qian!”

Lin Qian didn’t respond. As she walked toward the door, she suddenly heard a thud.

“Oww—”

Judging from the sound, the old man had probably fallen off the bed by accident.

Recalling how she had suffered her entire previous life in this household, Lin Qian felt a deep sense of satisfaction and muttered in her heart, Serves you right.

Then she headed to a post office on the street. She had a good friend working there.

“Hua Fang, can you help me get a mailing bag? I want to send something.”

Hua Fang casually handed her a bag and couldn’t help but offer some advice. “Qian Qian, I know the Lu family you’re marrying into is decent. Lu Zhanting is a company commander now, and his grandfather, though injured and retired early, and his father are both in the military. But you’re doing well too—you’ve got a good job. My mom says women shouldn’t give up their careers after getting married.”

“She said during dinner last night that now there are too many former sent-down youth coming back to the city and looking for work. You shouldn’t give up your job just to get married.”

After packing the items, Lin Qian handed over the parcel and gave her friend a firm look. “Fang Fang, don’t worry—I’ve thought it through. I won’t give up my job.”

In her past life, Hua Fang had said the same. But back then, Lin Qian was desperate to build her own home, so to marry Lu Zhanting respectably, she agreed to give up her job to her cousin Lin Yuanyuan.

She had never understood why her biological parents never cared for her and always favored her cousin. Later, she found out the truth: she wasn’t their biological daughter but an adopted child they had received a large commission for raising. Lin Yuanyuan, the so-called cousin, was actually their real daughter.

Lin Dawei and Ma Guixin had deliberately told everyone that Lin Yuanyuan was adopted so they could use the money meant for Lin Qian to benefit their real daughter.

The Lin family… once I’m done cutting ties with the Lu family, I’ll deal with you all next.

After Lin Qian left, Hua Fang glanced at the parcel—it was supposedly something Lin Qian was mailing on behalf of her mother-in-law. She decided to help expedite it.

Soon, the parcel was delivered by a courier to the textile factory.

Meanwhile, after successfully persuading Lu Xiaoqin to get an abortion at the hospital, Lu’s mother was preparing to go to work. She was older and held a cushy office job. Many young women trying to pull strings were eyeing her position. She couldn’t afford to make any mistakes and be forced to go home to take care of her paralyzed father-in-law.

Let the new daughter-in-law handle that job instead.

Lin Qian had never realized Lu’s mother harbored such thoughts. She was busy pedaling her bicycle to the Ning City military base.

Before the marriage application between her and Lu Zhanting got approved, she had to stop it—otherwise, it would be even more troublesome afterward.

After an exhausting hour and a half ride, she finally arrived at the base, drenched in sweat and out of breath. She stopped to rest and stared at the military gate, thinking about how she could get in and find Lu Zhanting. She didn’t notice a puddle near her feet.

Just then, a green military jeep sped past, splashing dirty water all over her.

Lin Qian comforted herself: she had already used up all her good luck on this rebirth. She was fine. Everything was okay.

Luckily, it was just some mud—the water wasn’t too filthy.

It was just a shame she had worn a white dress today.

As she looked down and tried to clean herself up, a warm, pleasant male voice sounded in front of her.

“I’m sorry—my comrade was careless while driving and got your clothes dirty. Here’s a fabric coupon. Please take it as our apology.”

The voice sounded so familiar that Lin Qian couldn’t believe her ears. She looked up and saw the man in front of her.

Huo Xiujin.

It really was him.

Lin Qian stared at him, her eyes filling with tears.

Just a few hours ago, this was the man who had broken her heart. And now, here he was—alive and standing before her.

They were finally meeting again, this time as two individuals.

“You…”

She tightly gripped the button from his coat hidden in her bag, reminding herself to stay calm—take it slow. To him, she was probably just a stranger at this point.

But to her surprise, the man spoke again. “Lin Qian, I’m sorry. I was late to our blind date last time. I didn’t expect us to meet again like this. I truly apologize.”

Blind date?

Lin Qian blinked hard. Suddenly, she remembered—before the blind date with Lu Zhanting, she’d actually been set up with someone from the Huo family. The match had been arranged by one of Ma Guixin’s coworkers, but the photo Ma Guixin gave her hadn’t been Huo Xiujin. So when she showed up that day and didn’t see the man in the picture, she left.

When she got home, Ma Guixin had been quite pleased she didn’t match with him and then arranged the meeting with the Lu family.

Now it all made sense. The Huo family must’ve had better conditions than the Lu family—that’s why Ma Guixin had deliberately misled her with the wrong photo.

No wonder Bai Aiyun had once said in her past life that Huo Xiujin had always secretly loved her.

Lin Qian stared wide-eyed at the man before her, her heart thumping wildly.

Compared to Lu Zhanting, Huo Xiujin was far more handsome.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say, Let’s have another blind date this lifetime.