"Oh."
Lu Lili closed her mouth.
Although she was her stepfather, she had always been very obedient in front of her father.
Xiao Guifang said, "Jinse, this matter is neither big nor small. Xiaoyue is the flesh and blood of our benefactor, and Yueshan is caught in the middle in a difficult position. You must think carefully about the big matter of marriage. Whatever you do, don't act on impulse. Just listen to your dad. I'm going to tidy up the room so you can rest early."
She got up and left.
Lu Jinse remained silent. A stepmother was still a stepmother. Even when she was wronged, every word Xiao Guifang uttered still protected the Xu family. If it were her biological mother, she would have long since risen in revolt.
"Mom, I'll help you tidy up."
Lu Lili also left, following behind her mother into the room and closing the door.
She grabbed Xiao Guifang by the arm and lowered her voice.
"Mom, let's do the chores later. Can I discuss something with you?"
Xiao Guifang looked at her strangely. "Lili, what is so mysterious?"
Lu Lili said with an air of great importance, "Mom, since Elder Sister won't marry into the Xu family, I will. Why don't you mention my idea to Dad?"
"What?"
Xiao Guifang was startled. "Lili, you're getting married? Are you not going to study anymore?"
"I'm not going."
Lu Lili's gaze was firm. "The Xu family's conditions are so good. Elder Sister is being foolish and won't marry them, so it just so happens that I will. This is an opportunity."
"No way."
Xiao Guifang shook her head repeatedly. "Lili, listen to your mom. Studying is good; after graduation, you'll be assigned a good job, and you'll live a worry-free life. It was so hard to help you snatch that university admission quota, and now you want to throw it away just like that?"
"Mom, we need to have vision. If I marry into the Xu family, won't attending university be a breeze? The Xu family has so many connections; Xu Yueshan's uncle is even a high-ranking military district commander! Opportunities like this come only once in a lifetime. Mom, I must marry into the Xu family."
Lu Lili's eyes shone brightly.
"You silly child, relying on anyone is not as good as relying on yourself."
Xiao Guifang still disagreed. "As long as you graduate from university with a good job, there are plenty of men with great backgrounds. What's the rush to get married?"
"Mom!"
Lu Lili let go of her mother's arm. "To tell you the truth, I like Xu Yueshan, and I won't marry anyone else in this lifetime."
To achieve her goal, she did not hesitate to lie and deceive her mother.
Xiao Guifang was surprised. "You like Xu Yueshan too?"
Lu Lili nodded heavily. "Yes."
"Sigh."
Xiao Guifang sighed. "You child, you really give me something to worry about. Xu Yueshan is your elder sister's fiancé. How can you have feelings for him?"
"Mom~"
Lu Lili took her mother's hand again, rested her head on her mother's shoulder, and coaxed her coquettishly.
"Mom, you only have me as your kin. I am your only daughter, and my happiness is your happiness. Help your daughter again, won't you? Please?"
"Sigh, there's really no doing anything with you. You come up with these wild ideas on a whim. Isn't studying good?"
Xiao Guifang furrowed her brows.
"Mom, it's useless for women to study; marriage is a woman's second rebirth. The Xu family is the place where my happiness begins. Mom, please go ask for me."
"Wipe the dust in the room; I'll go out and see what the situation is. You child, why didn't you say this earlier? I just said so many things to persuade Jinse to reconcile. If she's not getting married, I'll still have to wait on her."
Unpleasantly, Xiao Guifang handed the rag to her.
"Mom, didn't I just think of it now? Elder Sister isn't getting married anyway, and she won't stay in this house for long."
Lu Lili took the rag and watched her mother leave, a flash of shrewd calculation crossing her eyes.
Shh—
She had a secret, a secret that no one else knew.
Lu Lili had been reborn.
During the noon break, she had received a phone call from her mother at the office, saying that her elder sister, Lu Jinse, had suddenly suffered a massive hemorrhage and died on the operating table.
She was ecstatic inside.
"Haha!"
Lu Lili put down the phone and laughed up to the sky. "Lu Jinse, didn't you always strive to be better than everyone else? In the end, didn't you still die before me? This time, all the wealth of the Lu family will be mine! Now that you're dead, how can you still compete with me? I'm so happy!"
Unexpectedly, due to her overwhelming excitement, a cerebral blood vessel ruptured, and she crashed down onto the office floor with a heavy thud.
Unconscious.
It was a long time before her colleagues discovered her and sent her to the hospital. All rescue efforts failed, and she died.
Next, the bizarre happened.
When Lu Lili opened her eyes, she found herself lying on a wooden bed in an old 1970s house.
A portrait of the Chairman still hung on the wall.
Huh?
What was going on?
Lu Lili quickly realized that she was not dead, but had been reborn?
Looking at the calendar on the wall, it was March 28, 1976. At this time, Lu Jinse had not yet married Xu Yueshan.
Great!
Lu Lili could not help but be wild with joy. She got out of bed, knelt on the floor, and kowtowed three times to the Jade Emperor.
Living her life over again, she was determined to make up for all the regrets of her past life.
They were both daughters of the Lu family!
Why should Lu Jinse be able to marry a good husband? Her life was smooth sailing, her family harmonious and her happiness long-lasting, while she could only secretly look on with envy?
Lu Lili made a crucial choice to master her own destiny.
This time, she didn't want her elder sister's university quota; she wanted the marriage proposal!
She was just lying on the bed plotting how to snatch the marriage when...
Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door.
Eh?
It was pouring rain outside; who could possibly come?
With lingering doubts, Lu Lili went to open the door, and when she saw Lu Jinse, whose hair and clothes were completely soaked, she froze instantly.
Eh?
Why had she come home? And why was she still lugging her luggage?
***
After telling her parents the news, Lu Lili returned to her room and eavesdropped on the conversation in the living room through the crack in the door.
Hearing that Lu Jinse wanted to call off the engagement, her hands trembled with excitement.
Terrific!
Her luck was too good!
The chance to change her fate in this lifetime had arrived so quickly!
The man Xu Yueshan had exceptional conditions; he had the looks, a successful career, and a family background that was one in a million.
She had heard that lines of girls pursued him, but Xu Yueshan treated them with utter disdain.
After marriage, his career skyrocketed, and he was promoted from deputy factory director to factory director.
Later, he was named a national outstanding youth, entered the political arena, and a few years later became the deputy mayor of Rongcheng.
Lu Jinse was also transformed overnight into an imposing official's wife.
After marrying into the Xu family, she never had to work for the rest of her life, living freely without work, economic, or mental pressure, and free from the petty intrigues among peers.
She only needed to manage the household chores and take care of her parents-in-law at home.
Every time she returned to her natal home, she was all smiles, bringing gifts with her, and her overflowing happiness was written all over her face.
Every time Lu Lili saw this, she went mad with jealousy.
They were both women, and both daughters of the Lu family—why should she be allowed to be so happy!
***
Xiao Guifang returned to the living room and sat down beside her husband.
Lu Jianliang turned his head to look at her. "Guifang, has the girl's room been tidied up?"
Xiao Guifang smiled and explained, "Not yet. Lili asked me to come over and persuade Jinse. She's helping tidy up right now."
"Good."
Lu Jianliang was very gratified; Lili had become sensible.
"Jinse."
Xiao Guifang looked at her gently. "Although I'm not your biological mother, I've been married to your dad for more than ten years, and there's no difference from a real mother. I've also watched you grow up since you were little. The big matter of marriage concerns your lifelong happiness; you must think it through clearly."
Lu Jinse felt a surge of contempt.
Humph!
This woman spoke sweet words, yet claimed there was no difference from a biological mother?
Did she think she didn't know?
Auntie Xiao always secretly bought good food for Lili, and even finished eating it outside before coming home.
She couldn't even catch a whiff of it.
Auntie Xiao also secretly subsidized her own younger brother with Dad's salary, being extremely generous to her maternal family.
However.
When Lu Jinse asked her for money to pay tuition and buy books, she was as stingy as an iron rooster that had turned into a spirit.
She wouldn't give a single extra penny.
One day.
She complained to her father that Auntie Xiao favored Lili.
From then on, her father began to build a private stash of money, secretly buying her treats and giving her pocket money, while instructing her not to tell anyone.
Lu Jinse understood; so blended families all played favorites like this.
As long as her stepmother treated her father well and didn't go too far, it was fine.
However.
Regarding the matter of Auntie Xiao constantly sending money back to her maternal family, she should find time to talk to her father about it. Wasn't this behavior typical of someone obsessed with aiding her brother? She gave away money without even discussing it with Dad.
Lu Jinse's mind had drifted off.
Seeing her dazed after she finished speaking, Xiao Guifang could not help but voice a reminder.
"Jinse? Did you hear what I just said?"