Who is the real Mrs. Lu? - Chapter 11

We stayed in An County for another two days before Lu Zhan and I returned to Hai City.

One afternoon a week later, Lv Qingqing suddenly suggested having a meal together.

“Lv Qingqing called me and said…” Lu Zhan frowned, “that I should bring you along for lunch.”

“Where are we eating?”

“A new trendy restaurant next to Hai City Hospital.”

Hai City Hospital?

I understood. “She probably doesn’t want to go for the meal.”

She wants to see someone.

When Lu Zhan and I left the company, Lv Qingqing’s car was already parked by the roadside.

“Che,” she approached with a smile, “I had a hard time booking that restaurant, so I told Zhan to definitely bring you along.”

I smiled, “Okay.”

The three of us remained silent during the drive.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Lv Qingqing parked the car and suddenly said, “Che, your… your husband, has he been discharged?”

“No,” I replied softly.

I’ve been visiting the hospital frequently lately, and whenever I go, I take some recent photos of Liao Fan to send to Lv Qingqing.

She never responds.

“Zhan,” Lv Qingqing said, “how about we go see my brother-in-law? He’s been hospitalized for so long, and we haven’t visited him yet.”

Lu Zhan paused, nodded, “Alright.”

I guessed correctly; she probably didn’t dare to see Liao Fan alone, but if she brought both Lu Zhan and me, she could have a reasonable explanation if Lv Ning found out.

At the hospital ward, I opened the door.

Liao Fan’s hair, shaved off due to a previous head injury, had grown back quite a bit over time.

He lay quietly on the bed, his blue and white hospital gown and short hair making him look fresh and clean, like a young student.

“You’re here?” He looked up and smiled, but paused for a moment when he saw me and Lv Qingqing.

His gaze swept over our faces, then suddenly smiled at Lv Qingqing, “Wife.”

Lv Qingqing’s face turned pale, her voice trembled as she forced a smile, “Oh, you got the wrong person, I’m… I’m Che’s sister…”

Her hand, clutching my clothes, trembled incessantly, “Che, Che is your…”

“Sorry,” Liao Fan gave a clear and pure smile, “you two look so much alike.”

Lv Qingqing stood there, dumbfounded.

“How are you?” I walked closer and asked.

“I’m doing well.” He moved his arm, “The doctor said after a few more days of observation, I can be discharged.”

“That’s good.”

“Wife,” he suddenly tugged at my sleeve, speaking softly, “I heard the hospital canteen has soup dumplings that are really delicious. Do you want some?”

I was taken aback, “Huh?”

He smiled, “I can get out of bed now. If you want, I’ll go grab some for you later, okay?”

I glanced back at Lv Qingqing and said softly, “The Thermos is out of water, I’ll go get some for you.”

Liao Fan nodded.

At the end of the corridor, I set down the Thermos and stared out the window in a daze.

Suddenly, the door beside me banged open, and before I could react, I was pulled into the stairwell with a strong force.

The familiar invasive aura instantly enveloped me.

“You…” I pushed him, “someone might come…”

“So what if someone comes?” he pouted.

“Saying he wants soup dumplings,” he said, “I think he wants another beating.”

I burst into laughter.

“I don’t love soup dumplings,” I touched his slightly furrowed forehead, “I only love having omelets with ketchup with you.”

The one who loves soup dumplings is someone else.

When I returned to the ward with the Thermos, Lv Qingqing was just coming out.

Her eyes were red like a rabbit’s, with traces of tears still on her cheeks.

“If Lu Zhan calls back later, tell him I had to leave for something.”

I nodded, “Okay.”

Pushing the door open, Liao Fan sat quietly on the bed.

“What did you say?” I asked as I sat down.

“I told her the truth,” he said with a bitter smile.

The door opened, and Lu Zhan walked in.

“I told her I didn’t lose my memory.”

“You…”

He smiled, “I told her I respect her decision and won’t bother her anymore. We were immature before, doing many wrong things in the name of love, hurting each other. Now, having been through a near-death experience, I’ve come to understand many things. I’ll be discharged in a few days and leave Hai City.”

Liao Fan hadn’t lost his memory.

That day, after I called Lv Qingqing, I returned to the ward where it was just the two of us. As I was about to leave, he suddenly grabbed my sleeve.

“Che,” he looked at me, “I just want to see her one more time.”

The memory loss was merely a facade for self-preservation, yet even so, he still wanted to see her.

His persistence was terrifying.

He looked at Lu Zhan, “Is that video useful?”

Lu Zhan walked over, “You fell at the time, and the phone just happened to record the situation. Although the recording was chaotic, the faces of those people were captured. With today’s advanced technology, the police should be able to find them, and the people behind them won’t escape.”

“Yes.” He nodded, then turned to me, “Che, thank you. Tomorrow… let’s go through the divorce.”

“Can you walk now?” Lu Zhan suddenly asked.

Liao Fan was stunned, “Yes.”

Lu Zhan glanced at his watch, “The civil affairs bureau hasn’t closed yet. Let’s go today.”

Three days later, Lv Qingqing called me.

Months passed, and we were sitting in that old white car again.

“I don’t want to be with Lu Zhan.”

I remained silent, just looking at her.

“Che,” she turned her head, “Why don’t we switch back? How about it?”

“What?”

“I’ll be Yin Lanche again, and you be Lv Qingqing. Let’s pretend these past few months never happened…”

“Sis,” I interrupted her, “We can’t switch anymore.”

“No,” she said urgently, “This time I won’t let you switch back, really, Che, I’ve thought it through…”

“I will never be Lv Qingqing again.”

She was stunned, “Why? Don’t you like Lu Zhan? Before, you clearly…”

“Yin Lanche is Yin Lanche,” I shook my head, “I won’t play anyone else anymore.”

She stared at me blankly.

“I can’t let go of him, Che,” she cried, “I knew I couldn’t see him. He’s like a curse. As soon as I see him, I can’t leave…”

“If you can’t let go,” I said softly, “then go find him as Lv Qingqing.”

“What are you saying?” Her eyes were red, “How could I…”

“Sis,” I said to her, “you need to learn to solve your problems yourself. You can’t rely on escaping or others to get what you want all your life. When you left with Liao Fan, it was escaping. Coming back after separating from Liao Fan was still escaping. Now, do you want to escape a third time? Do you really know what you want?”

“I’m not you…” she cried, “No one ever told me how to solve problems. I can’t.”

“You can,” I looked at her firmly, “We share the same blood. If I can, you can too.” I paused, “This time, I won’t help you, and Lu Zhan won’t help you either.”

She stared at me blankly.

“Stop escaping,” I looked at her, “Don’t you understand yet? Loving, chasing, acting with a false identity will never get you what you want.”

I handed her a bag containing the keys to this car and the rented apartment.

“These things, return them to you. They weren’t mine to begin with.”

Now, I only want what truly belongs to me.

“Will he still want me?” She held the bag, speaking softly.

“How will you know if you don’t try?” I sighed, “After all, true love cannot be disguised.”

Just like in An County, Lu Zhan recognized me at a glance.

Just like in the hospital, Liao Fan recognized Lv Qingqing at a glance.

Even with the same face, even with swapped names and changed identities, those who love you can still recognize you at a glance.

“Think about it carefully,” I said softly, “Liao Fan found a job as an art editor at a magazine and will leave Hai City the day after tomorrow.”

“You,” she looked at me blankly, “You, you know…”

“Sis, you actually know it in your heart too,” I looked at the azure sky outside the car, “We both were wrong before. Those who love you will never mistake you. If you love, don’t leave regrets.”

A few days later, Liao Fan left, and Lu Zhan and I went to see him off. Lv Qingqing did not come.

She didn’t return to Yungong Estate but went back to her parents’ home.

A month later, Lv Group had an incident.

Through Liao Fan’s video, the police traced and uncovered a local criminal organization supported by Lv Group. During the investigation of the company’s financial status, they found many issues.

Lu Zhan sold off his shares in the Lv Group, being one of the major shareholders. As the market sensed something was amiss, others followed suit.

Lv Ning and Lv Feng were both arrested, and the Lv Group officially entered bankruptcy liquidation. Xie Qian was anxious and urged Lv Qingqing to return to Yungong Estate to seek Lu Zhan’s help.

She went, but said to Lu Zhan, “Let’s get a divorce.”

Lu Zhan had anticipated this, merely raising his head to ask her, “What do you want?”

That very day, under the witness of a lawyer, they signed the divorce agreement. Lv Qingqing asked for nothing, only for Lu Zhan to give her a ticket to Jiang City.

Jiang City, where Liao Fan was.

Three months later, I saw her again at the small park beneath the Lu Group’s company.

She had already helped Xie Qian handle most of the Lv Family’s affairs, and she had tanned a bit, looking quite different from before.

Yet, her smoking habit had returned.

She pulled out a cigarette, “Mom initially couldn’t accept the Lv Group’s collapse, having been a wealthy lady for too long. I comfort her every day, like a caring sister.”

“By the way,” she looked at me, “thank you for taking care of her during those two weeks in Jiang City.”

I shook my head.

After all, she was my birth mother too.

“She,” Lv Qingqing seemed a bit embarrassed, “she heard you brought Dad to Hai City and said she wanted to see him…”

“She mentioned it to me too,” I apologized with a smile, “I asked Dad about it, and he said it’s been so long, he used to be unable to let go, but now he truly has. It’s better not to meet, just remain strangers.”

“That’s fine.” After a while, she exhaled a smoke ring.

“I’m going to Jiang City next week.”

“Liao Fan over there…”

“Still doesn’t want to see me.” Her lips curled into a bitter smile, “But I won’t give up.”

Once, he chased her to Hai City; now, she chases him to Jiang City.

“Che,” she paused for a long time, then said to me, “I’ve always wanted to tell you, I’m really sorry for everything before, and thank you so much.”

I shook my head, “It’s all in the past.”

As I left, I told her, “Try to smoke less in the future.”

She turned her head, flicked her newly permed big waves, and waved with a smile, “I won’t. Now I don’t have to act in front of anyone.”

Still as headstrong as ever.

After Lv Qingqing left, I sat on the park bench waiting for Lu Zhan.

Soon, I saw him walking over with a package in his hands.

“What’s this?” I went up to him.

“It arrived at the company today.” He placed the box on the bench, “It’s from the organizers of the translation competition.”

I opened it, inside was a trophy for first place and a letter of appointment.

“So,” he touched my head, “can you finally tell me what pen name you used?”

“You really don’t know?” I tilted my head with a smile.

He pulled me into his arms, his voice light and gentle.

“I know, but I want to hear you say it.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck, meeting his smiling eyes.

“Zhan Che.”

Zhan Che, meaning clean and bright.

True love, clean and bright, never makes a mistake.

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