Volume 1: The Change in Family Fortune Chapter 5: When a Person Leaves, the Tea Turns Cold

  Half a month has passed since Lu Xiaodong's incident, although the organization has not yet given a conclusion on the cause of Lu Xiaodong's death, but this matter has long been a topic of private discussion among the people of Wucheng. Various versions of rumors have spread all over the place. The most widely circulated version is that Lu Xiaodong was involved in the tofu dregs project corruption case of Wucheng Bridge and committed suicide out of fear of punishment. In this era, ordinary people are already used to officials being high above and enjoying privileges, so when a municipal standing committee member suddenly dies, it's easy for people to associate it with corruption, making this version seem quite credible.

  Even now, Lu Yan did not dare to believe that his father had really left him far away. From memory, the impression his father gave him was a knowledgeable and talented, enthusiastic and generous but also extremely principled person. He didn't believe that his father was really involved in the corruption case of the Wucheng Bridge tofu dregs project, nor did he believe that his father committed suicide out of fear of punishment.

  But Lu Yan's disbelief doesn't mean others don't believe it, and this small rumor spread like wildfire, quickly appearing in the tea houses and restaurants of Wucheng. Even students at Wucheng University joined in spreading the news, with topics about Lu Xiaodong's alleged suicide due to fear of punishment becoming a hot topic on the school's BBS. Many students from other departments came to the journalism department to quietly ask about Lu Yan's situation, as online rumors also circulated that he and his mother Xia Qiu were taken away by the procuratorate for investigation due to their involvement in a corruption case...

  Rumors are just rumors, Lu Yan believes that his father will not be involved in corruption and also believes that the organization will give his father a fair conclusion, at that time, all the rumors will disappear naturally.

  Lu Yan was not afraid of the spread of rumors, but the secondary effects caused by the spread of rumors were like a landslide and tsunami, catching this strong boy off guard.

  What caught Lu Yan off guard was his girlfriend Feng Manqing's breakup with him. Although Lu Yan was a big shot at Wu University, he had always been very devoted in love, and Feng Manqing's sudden breakup with him indeed dealt him a heavy blow.

  Lu Yan and Feng Manqing have been together since their freshman year. Feng Manqing is Lu Yan's classmate, with a tall figure, delicate features, fair skin, and a pair of naturally charming eyes that captivated everyone as soon as she entered the school, earning her the reputation as the department flower of Wuda University's College of Journalism.

  In his freshman year, Lu Yan was the class monitor. Apart from his handsome and sunny appearance and excellent academic performance, Lu Yan also played a good guitar and played basketball exceptionally well. Adding to that, he had superior family conditions. In the words of his roommate Sun Qiang, Lu Yan was the standard version of a girl killer.

  It's unclear who started chasing whom, but in any case, not long after the start of school, these two people naturally became a couple. The man had talent and the woman had beauty, this pair of perfect lovers didn't know how many handsome guys and beautiful girls at Wu University they made jealous. In Lu Yan's opinion, Feng Manqing was elegant and beautiful, generous and kind, and from the very beginning, she was the one he gave his heart to, and in Lu Yan's mind, she was an ideal candidate for a wife; Lu Yan had even made preparations to marry her after graduation. After his father got into trouble, Lu Yan also went to her first to pour out his heart, but unexpectedly, on that very night, after a night of intimacy, Feng Manqing proposed breaking up the next day, citing Lu Yan's disregard for her feelings and only caring about his own desires.

  At that time, Lu Yan still felt a bit guilty, wondering if it was because of his bad mood and just wanted to find an outlet for his emotions in his body, so his actions were a bit rough. Now thinking about it, Feng Manqing found this to be such a ridiculous reason! If she really loved Lu Yan, she should have been able to feel the pain in his heart and understand his roughness. Moreover, they had been together for three years, and Lu Yan's self-chosen actions on her body were much rougher than this every time, yet she seemed to enjoy it each time. Why did she say that he didn't consider her feelings this time and wanted to break up because of it?

  Since Feng Manqing proposed a breakup, she never answered his calls again. Text messages and voicemails were also never replied to. Lu Yan was not the kind of person who would cling to someone relentlessly. He knew that Feng Manqing had made up her mind to cut ties with him completely, so he didn't bother to pester her anymore.

  Next was the estrangement of relatives and friends. This time, Lu Yan really felt what it meant to be cold and warm in human relationships. In the past, Lu Yan's family was indeed a bustling place, not to mention during holidays, but even on weekends when he returned home, there were always people lining up like at a bank to visit. Especially after Lu Xiaodong became the county head, many distant relatives such as "the grandson of the third uncle's wife's brother" emerged, asking for job arrangements and promotions. Every time they came to the house, Lu Xiaodong warmly received them, although he couldn't always solve their problems, but he never let them leave empty-handed. As soon as Father got into trouble, the Lu family immediately became much quieter. At first, there were still a few close relatives and friends who came to comfort them, but after the rumor spread that Lu Xiaodong had committed suicide out of fear of punishment, not only did no one come to visit again, but even when Xia Qiu called many people didn't answer.

  Facing the ridicule and gossip of his friends, Lu Yan chose to avoid them, thinking that out of sight meant out of mind. However, he couldn't escape the cold sneers and sarcastic comments from his schoolmates, as well as the pressure they brought upon him with their condescending gazes and snide remarks. For a time, the once-popular Lu Yan disappeared, and his classmates deliberately avoided interacting with him. Although no one in school asked him about his father's situation, the scornful, mocking, and gloating gazes were like countless sharp blades that pierced holes in his body and heart. Every time Lu Yan saw someone hesitating to speak, he felt an overwhelming urge to rush over and punch them.

  Lu Yan didn't expect that those who had once claimed to be brothers for life, those who had eaten and drunk together with him at Wu Da, would choose to remain silent and avoid him when he needed them most. Lu Yan was well aware of the reason behind this, but even if the rumors were true, it shouldn't have affected their friendship in the slightest. In fact, Lu Yan wasn't angry that they had believed the rumors, but rather that they had desecrated the brotherly bond of sharing joys and hardships together. Throughout his four years at university, Lu Yan had genuinely considered these people to be his true brothers, but it turned out that they only regarded him as a drinking buddy.

  Love, family affection, friendship... are depicted as so beautiful, but reality is so cruel. Since Father's accident, the blows have been coming one after another, and the invisible pressure has made Lu Yan almost unable to hold on. And Uncle Zhang Hongguang, Father's old friend, said something two days ago that became the last straw that crushed Lu Yan.

  Zhang Hongguang was Lu Xiaodong's roommate when they were studying at Xizhou Normal University. After graduating from university, the two were assigned to teach at Qingyang County No. 1 Middle School together. Later, they both changed careers and entered politics. Today, Zhang Hongguang has become the Deputy Director of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department. After more than 20 years of struggling in the officialdom, Lu Xiaodong and Zhang Hongguang have always been the best of friends. In private, it goes without saying that they often move around together. Even in the official circle, the two also support each other, often giving each other a helping hand.

  Before Lu Xiaodong's death, Zhang Hongguang had solemnly promised Lu Xiaodong and Xia Qiu that he would pave the way for his nephew Lu Yan. After graduating from university, he would solve Lu Yan's identity problem through the selection of civil servants, and told Lu Yan that he would be assigned to the Provincial Youth League Committee.

  Because of Zhang Hongguang's promise, Lu Yan had also had infinite expectations for the work of the Provincial Youth League Committee. Born in such a family, influenced by Lu Xiaodong since childhood, Lu Yan also aspired to enter politics, and the Youth League system was his first choice after graduating from university. The cadres of the Youth League are very young and mobile, if they enter the Provincial Youth League Committee, after a few years, Lu Yan will have an age advantage among cadres at the same level, and after being sent to grassroots organizations for experience, he will naturally have more chips for promotion.

  Just the day before yesterday, when Xia Qiu called Zhang Hongguang, Zhang Hongguang told her that Lu Yan's selection as a civil servant had fallen through. Actually, since Lu Xiaodong got into trouble, Zhang Hongguang suddenly became like a different person, his attitude towards Xia Qiu and her mother suddenly becoming much colder. Given the relationship between their two families, not only did Zhang Hongguang never even bother to make a phone call to ask about Xia Qiu and her mother's situation, but he also made a big show of distancing himself from the Lu family on social media. Upon hearing Zhang Hongguang's words, Xia Qiu didn't need to guess anymore, she knew what was going on.

  When Lu Yan heard from his mother that the selection of students had no chance, he felt as if the sky was falling. Having been used to a life of smooth sailing since childhood, he suddenly encountered so many setbacks, and Lu Yan's spirit instantly collapsed. He, who hadn't cried since elementary school, cried in his mother's arms until he was disheveled.

  Lu Yan would never forget the scene of him and his mother crying until they were dizzy in their empty home on that drizzly night.

  After that night, Lu Yan did not go to school. He locked himself at home for two days and quietly thought a lot. Lu Yan knew that his father's departure was already an established fact. No matter what others said about them or how they treated them, he had to face it strongly and bravely stand up. He was the only man in the family now, and at this time, he must stand up, hold up the family, and give his mother hope and confidence.

  Lu Yan thought of Feng Manqing, thought of those relatives and classmates who abandoned him and even kicked him when he was down, and also thought of his father's friend Zhang Hongguang. Each of their faces flashed through Lu Yan's mind like a movie.

  "Spring will go and spring will come, flowers will wither and flowers will bloom, what is lost will be regained, only after losing can one become more mature." In two days, Lu Yan understood a lot.