Chapter 2: A Blind Date Before Death

“What do you see?” Lu Yunqing looked around in confusion.

Lu Jianwei pointed straight ahead at the glowing red numbers counting down a life, “There! Aunt, do you see it? There’s a device showing the time—do you see it?”

Tears welled up in Lu Yunqing’s eyes as she gripped her niece’s hand and pleaded, “Meimei, don’t do this. That Fu Tingjun is no good. He’s ungrateful, heartless, not a worthy match. You deserve better. You’ll find a good man, I promise. Listen to your aunt—don’t let yourself dwell on this.”

Since she was little, the elders at home had always called her “Meimei”—a pet name, both affectionate and familiar.

Lu Jianwei was puzzled. “Aunt, what are you talking about? Scum like Fu Tingjun could never be good enough for me! I’m not thinking about that at all. Look up—can you see it?”

Lu Yunqing followed her niece’s finger, but saw nothing. “But, Meimei, why are you having hallucinations now?”

She waved a hand in front of her niece’s eyes. “What are you seeing?”

“Your hand, Aunt, just your hand!” Lu Jianwei slumped in defeat. So, only she could see this life countdown—the others were blind to it. Still, living for just one day was better than this entire world existing for only a day.

Based on her studies in parallel world theory, crossing over was irreversible; she couldn’t go back. But she couldn’t accept living for just a single day.

She had once held such a promising future—finishing her doctorate at twenty-two, working on cutting-edge science in the most renowned lab, alongside the world’s top team, happy every day.

Lu Yunqing drew her onto the sofa. “Meimei, tonight there’s a reading club at the Workers’ Club, organized by the city’s labor union. They’ve invited the most outstanding young people in town, and you’re on the list. Dress up a little; I’ll take you over. Let’s just treat it as an outing, all right?”

Ever since Fu Tingjun’s betrayal, the family had been searching for a suitable husband for Lu Jianwei. Who could blame them for being anxious? The political climate was growing more tense, and the Lu family’s background made them an immediate target for criticism.

She’d never understood before, thinking her family didn’t care about her heartbreak and were just pushing her to marry. But Lu Jianwei, familiar with this history, now understood their deep love and the urgent desire to shield her from coming storms.

But now, with her life already half-buried in earth, what was the use? Go on a blind date today, and her suitor would be attending her memorial tomorrow. How cruel.

“Aunt, I—”

“No refusals!” Lu Yunqing’s tone was gentle, not forceful. “If you stay home all the time, people will think you’re still grieving, laughing at you behind your back. At least, if you go out tonight—even if you don’t like a single person there—we’ll feel a little more at ease.”

“All right, Aunt, I’ll go!”

When her father passed away, she was still studying abroad and her brother was just eleven. Her aunt, unable to rest easy, had moved back home with her husband to care for them—parents in all but name.

“When did you get such a sweet tongue?” her aunt teased.

“Ever since I recovered from my illness,” Lu Jianwei replied, her words carrying a hidden meaning.

“Our Weiwei is such a good girl,” her aunt said tearfully.

It was already past three in the afternoon. Lu Jianwei returned to her room, took a shower, and picked out an outfit that would draw no unwanted attention—a polka-dot dress with ruffled edges. She braided her glossy black hair into two neat plaits, looking lively but modest, chose a canvas bag, slipped on black velvet shoes, declined her aunt’s company, and set off.

She would treat the day as a tour.

It was a weekend in late July, two years before the great movement. Few pedestrians walked the streets, and those out wore mostly blue, gray, or green—the dominant colors of the era. Towering plane trees lined the roads, and the old buildings, though low, were well kept. Slogans were painted everywhere:

“Grasp Revolution, Promote Production!”
“Serve the People!”
“We Workers Are Strong, Building a Proud Nation!”

The Lu house was about three stops from the Workers’ Club. Not wanting to wait half an hour for the bus, Lu Jianwei walked, taking in the dizzying slogans and the sights of a southern city in the 1960s, until she reached the club’s entrance.

“Weiwei!”

A figure jumped out from behind a tree, startling her.

The young man’s expression was a mix of pain and longing as he rushed toward her.

Lu Jianwei quickly backed away, putting distance between them. Nearby, two men in military uniform were chatting. Soldiers, in any era, made her feel safe.

The taller one glanced over, and Fu Tingjun immediately stopped.

“Weiwei, I never wanted to break off our engagement. I never wanted to leave you. There’s nothing improper between Tingting and me—what you saw was a misunderstanding.”

Lu Jianwei stared at him, surprised. “You were hugging and kissing—how is that a misunderstanding?”

“No, Weiwei, Tingting almost fell that day. I just caught her, and she… she lost control of her emotions. I was forced into it!”

A burst of laughter sounded nearby.

She looked over to see the tall soldier’s shoulders shaking, while the slightly shorter one was doubled over with mirth.

Fu Tingjun was mortified, but either of those soldiers could flatten him with a single punch. Swallowing his pride, he pleaded, “Weiwei, let’s talk over there.”

“No need,” Lu Jianwei replied coolly. “Fu Tingjun, I’m officially informing you—our engagement is over. It must be broken off. Zhu Tingting should have told you already. By ten tomorrow morning, you must return all the money, ration coupons, and engagement gifts the Lu family has given you over the years.”

Even if this was just her one day in this world, she would not let herself be entangled with a man like him.

Not even 1.8 meters tall, pale and thin as a roadside daisy—nothing about him matched her taste, let alone the fact that he was tainted.

Fu Tingjun panicked. “Weiwei, I brushed my teeth after I got home! It was nothing. Why can’t you let it go? With your family’s background, people are afraid to even walk past your door. You know how much this engagement means for me. I’ve never looked down on you. If you break it off, what other path do you have but re-education?”

In the past, these words would have left Lu Jianwei trembling with fear, seeing him as her last lifeline.

But now, Fu Tingjun saw only calm in her face.

After all, what did a woman with only one day left have to fear?

She was still afraid—afraid that she’d die and he’d get away without paying her back. She could accept anything, but not getting the short end of the stick.

“Fu Tingjun, I’m a capitalist. And what are you? Back then, the Fu family was the third biggest capitalist family in Haicheng—only, your relatives served another country, fled at Liberation, and are now living comfortably in M Country. Haven’t they sent you and your mother plenty of money over the years? If I’m sent for re-education, I’ll make sure you come with me.”