Chapter 19: Donating a House

Fu Tingjun’s eyes flickered. “That gold locket was the token of our engagement that Weiwei gave me. Now that I’m calling off the engagement, I’ll have to return it to her.”

Zhu Tingting said, “I really like that gold locket. After all these years, she probably doesn’t even remember what it looks like. How about this: I’ll give you a locket, you return that one to her and give me hers in exchange, all right?”

She clung to Fu Tingjun’s hand, swaying it gently in a coquettish, alluring manner.

Fu Tingjun tried to pull his hand away but failed. After a moment’s thought, he nodded. “It has to be identical, though.”

“Of course! I’ll make sure it’s the same. Wait here, I’ll go get it.” Zhu Tingting hurried back to her room and brought out a prop she’d had custom-made from gold, handing it to Fu Tingjun. “Look, does it resemble it?”

It looked almost identical; if Fu Tingjun hadn’t examined the original closely before, he wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference.

Meanwhile, Lu Jianwei rode her bicycle back to the factory gates. Duan Chenxing was anxiously asking everyone he saw if they’d seen her. If he didn’t find her soon, he’d have to organize a city-wide search.

“Brother!” Lu Jianwei called out hurriedly.

Duan Chenxing let out a sigh of relief. “Where did you run off to? If you needed something, why didn’t you come to me for help? Out in this midday heat—aren’t you hot?”

Lu Jianwei was drenched in sweat. Duan Chenxing told her to wait under the shade of a tree. “I’ll be right back.”

When he returned, he brought her a creamy popsicle. “Here, eat this. My mom said you were looking for me?”

With no one else around in the heat of midday, Lu Jianwei moved closer and quietly explained what she needed help with. “I’ve already marked everything. See if you can help me get those boxes inside exposed. We don’t necessarily need to take them—we just need to draw attention to them. Just make sure none of you gets caught.”

“So it’s a setup—no problem! Wait here!” Duan Chenxing had been eager to get revenge for a long time.

As he was about to leave, Lu Jianwei quickly added, “Brother, and that red brick building—”

After she finished explaining, Duan Chenxing’s eyes shone like little suns.

“Alright, I got it! Go to work, don’t worry about me. Just wait for the good news.” With that, he rushed off, clearly impatient to get started.

Gu Huaizheng assumed Lu Jianwei would be back at work that afternoon, but to his surprise, she took leave again. He didn’t believe she’d make a scene over Fu Tingjun’s engagement, but he was still uneasy. Yet he hesitated to seek her out, worried she’d misunderstand and think he was keeping tabs on her.

Lu Jianwei took out two property deeds—one for Duoxiang Alley on Fuxiang Road, and the other for the red brick building. She first went to the Housing Bureau and handed a cigarette to the security guard. “Uncle, could you call Comrade Xu Hongyun for me? Tell her her niece is looking for her.”

The guard took the cigarette and, seeing it was a premium Peony, was instantly cheerful and eager to help.

Xu Hongyun, with her short hair, plaid short-sleeved shirt, dark pants, and handmade cloth shoes, looked neat and capable. She came out and at first didn’t recognize her visitor.

“Aunt Hongyun, it’s me, Lu Jianwei.”

“Why, it’s little sister!” Xu Hongyun rushed over and hugged her. “Goodness, you’ve grown so much! Come, let’s sit in my office.”

Xu Hongyun had been classmates with Lu Yunqing for years, and before Lu Jianwei went abroad, she’d been their little tagalong. After the Lu family’s downfall, the two families stopped seeing each other.

In the office, Xu Hongyun poured her a large cup of cool boiled water, wanting to add sugar, but Lu Jianwei stopped her. “Auntie, the sweeter it is, the thirstier I get. Plain water is fine.”

“So, what brings you here? Nothing bad happened, did it?”

“Auntie, my grandmother had a dowry house. For years, the Zhu family has been living there. If I try to get it back, I’ll be accused of being unfilial; even if it’s empty, my maternal uncle’s family and my grandmother can’t even stay there.”

Xu Hongyun, well aware of the Lu family’s troubles, was now the director of the Housing Bureau. Hearing this made her furious. “Let me help you get it back!”

“Auntie, I don’t plan on keeping that house.”

“Afraid of what your mother will say?”

“She caused my father’s death, abandoned me and my brother, and cut all ties with us. Why would I fear her? I’m thinking of the country’s difficulties right now. Even if we took the house back, it would stand empty. I want to donate it.”

“Donate it? To the Housing Bureau?” Xu Hongyun was surprised.

Lu Jianwei took out the property deed and handed it to her. “Here’s the title. It’s a big place, and all these years only the Zhu family has lived there—it’s such a waste. I know many people in town don’t have a place to live; some families of three generations squeeze into less than ten square meters. I think this house could at least solve the housing problems of several families.”

Xu Hongyun examined the deed. The house was indeed large—three stories tall, with at least three rooms on each side, forming a square around a courtyard. It could easily house a dozen families, and spaciously at that.

“There’s no need to do this. I’ll help you reclaim the house, or you could sell it.”

Lu Jianwei shook her head. “Auntie, these are just worldly possessions. If we sold it, it would draw too much attention. No amount of money is worth more than my brother’s and my safety. Even if we reclaimed it, we might not be able to keep it, and I don’t want to get entangled with the Zhu family. It’s better to donate it to the state and avoid greedy eyes.”

Xu Hongyun patted her head. “I understand. Does your aunt know about this?”

Lu Jianwei shook her head. “I haven’t told her. She’s already busy enough. I handle what I can myself.”

She was also afraid to upset her aunt. The Zhu family had played a major role in the Lu family’s downfall, but her aunt had never taken it out on her or her brother; she’d always treated them as her own.

“Alright, I’ll take care of this for you. Do you have any other requests?”

“Auntie, there’s one more thing I’d like your advice on.”

“Go ahead.”

“I’d like to donate another property—the red brick building behind the machinery factory. My brother still hasn’t received his university acceptance letter after the entrance exams. If I donate it, should I go through your bureau or the machinery factory?”

Xu Hongyun understood immediately, marveling at the child’s cleverness. “Wait here, I’ll ask.”

She consulted a superior and quickly returned. “The bureau chief was an old friend of your father’s. He said if you donate the Fuxiang Road house to us, we’ll do our best to help you. As for the red brick building, donate it to the machinery factory. If they can put in a good word as well, we’ll work together for the best outcome.”

That was exactly Lu Jianwei’s plan, but she had to mention it to Xu Hongyun, since the Housing Bureau’s assistance was crucial.

Xu Hongyun helped her complete the donation procedures and gave her a donation certificate, which Lu Jianwei accepted with heartfelt thanks.

Xu Hongyun then reported the progress to her superior and called the subdistrict office on Fuxiang Road, informing them that the Zhu family’s house in Duoxiang Alley now belonged to the state. She advised them to check the living conditions inside and consider resettling some homeless people there.

Upon receiving this news, the Zhu family was dumbfounded—to be told, after more than twenty years, that the house they’d lived in wasn’t theirs after all.