In The Spring of April 1971
The Lu family residence was bustling with activity as the servants and maids worked quickly to prepare for the wedding. Madam Lu instructed them with precision, ensuring that everything was perfect for her daughter's big day. The room was decorated with flowers, and the fragrance of incense filled the air. It was supposed to be a day of celebration and joy.
But then, everything changed.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the halls, and the Lu family was thrown into a state of chaos. One of Lu Xin's sisters ran down the stairs, her face pale with shock. "Lu Xin is gone," she said breathlessly. "She's not in her room."
Madam Lu's heart skipped a beat, and she turned to her niece, who had brought the news. "Are you sure?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Her niece nodded, her eyes wide with fear. "I checked her room myself," she said. "She's not there."
Madam Lu's gaze fell on the maids, who had been with her for years. "Where is my daughter?" she demanded.
The maid's face was filled with panic. "I-I don't know, Madam," she stammered. "I went to wake her up this morning, but she was already gone."
Madam Lu's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean she was already gone? Did she leave a note? Did you see anything suspicious?"
The maid shook her head frantically. "No, Madam, I didn't see anything. I thought maybe she had gone for a walk or something, but when I went to check on her again, she was nowhere to be found."
Madam Lu's mind was racing. She couldn't imagine where her daughter could have gone or who would want to harm her. "We have to find her," she said, her voice firm. "Search the entire house, and send a message to the guards at the gate. We need to find her before it's too late."
The family and servants sprang into action, searching every room and every corner of the estate, but Lu Xin was nowhere to be found. As the hours passed, the initial shock and panic gave way to despair and fear. Madam Lu could only pray that her daughter was safe and would be found soon.
Just then, the guard brought in Lu Xin's loyal maid, Chen Yu. Madam Lu looked at Chen Yu, seething with anger. "Where is my daughter?" she demanded.
The maid hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting around the room. But then, she took a deep breath and spoke. "Madam, Young Miss has eloped with Zhang Rui, the son of the Zhang family," she said.
The room fell silent, and everyone stared at Chen Yu in shock. "What?!" Madam Lu exclaimed. "She ran away with the son of the Zhang family. How could this be? Lu Xin was supposed to marry the son of the Zhou family today. This is a disaster!"
Chen Yu lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Madam. Young Miss asked me to keep it a secret, but I couldn't lie to you any longer."
Madam Lu's face darkened with anger. "Where did they go? And why didn't you tell us anything earlier?" she demanded.
"I don't know, Madam," Chen Yu replied. "They left in the middle of the night, and I haven't heard from them since. Young Miss told me not to tell anyone anything."
Madam Lu's hand was trembling as she was trying to calm herself down, knowing that the situation was dire. The Lu family and the Zhang family had been bitter rivals for generations, and the prospect of a marriage between them was unthinkable. To make matters worse, the Lu family had also arranged for their daughter to marry into the Zhou family, solidifying an alliance between the two power houses.
But now, the unthinkable had happened. Lu Xin and Zhang Rui had fallen in love, and their elopement had thrown everything into chaos. The families were now faced with a dilemma - how could they salvage the situation and avoid an all-out feud? The prospect of the Zhou family calling off the marriage due to the scandal was now very real, adding further pressure to an already tense situation.
Madam Lu's mind raced as she tried to figure out what to do next. She couldn't let her daughter marry someone outside of the family's plans. But at the same time, she couldn't bear the thought of losing her daughter forever.
"We have to find them," Lu Hao's voice boomed, as he stormed into the room. Madam Lu and the other family members turned to face him, relieved that he had been informed about the situation. "We need to go to the Zhang Family. Send a message to the guards at the gate and tell them to get the car ready. We need to find them before it's too late."
Meanwhile, At the Zhang family residence, the family members were gathered in the living room, all looking worried and concerned. Zhang Li and Madam Zhang sat on the sofa, their faces creased with worry lines, while their children, Zhang Mei and Zhang Wei, were pacing back and forth anxiously.
"What do you mean he's missing?" asked Zhang Mei, the eldest of the siblings, her voice shaking with worry. "He couldn't have just disappeared like that."
"I know, I know," replied her mother, her voice heavy with worry. "We've been looking for him all morning, but there's no sign of him anywhere."
Zhang Wei, the younger brother, was quick to chime in, "Did anyone check his room? Maybe he's just sleeping in."
"We did check his room, Wei," said his father, his voice calm yet strained. "But he's not there. And his phone is switched off."
"What could have happened to him?" asked Zhang Mei, her eyes wide with concern. "He never just goes missing like this."
Suddenly, the sound of the doorbell interrupted their conversation. Madam Zhang rushed to answer the door, hoping it was her missing son. However, it was only the family's neighbour, Madam Chen.
"Have you heard anything about Rui?" asked Madam Zhang, desperation evident in her voice.
"I'm sorry, dear, but I haven't," replied Madam Chen, her own voice heavy with sympathy. "But I did see a strange car parked outside your house last night. Did Rui have any visitors?"
The Zhang family exchanged worried glances. They had no idea who could have come to visit Rui, especially at such a late hour.
As they discussed the possible reasons for Rui's disappearance, the family had seen the Lu family arrive.
"Why are you here?" Zhang Li had demanded, his voice cold with anger.
"We're looking for our daughter," Lu Hao had replied. "Have you seen her?"
The Zhang family had shaken their heads, but the Lu family was not convinced. "We just found that your son and our daughter were in love," Lu Hao had said. "Maybe he's taken her away."
The Zhang family had bristled at the accusation, and Zhang Li had been about to speak when the phone rang. The news that came through it shattered everyone.
"Lu Xin and Zhang Rui have been in a terrible accident," the voice on the other end of the line said.
As soon as the family members heard the news, they rushed to the hospital. The atmosphere in the hospital was tense and heavy as the families arrived. Lu Hao was the first to speak, his voice shaking with grief. "What happened? How could this happen to my daughter?"
The doctor took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm sorry to inform you that both Lu Xin and Zhang Rui were found dead at the same spot. We're still investigating the cause of their deaths, but it appears to be a tragic accident."
The families were stunned. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. Madam Zhang's eyes widened with horror. "No, it can't be true. My son can't be dead."
The doctor's expression softened as he tried to console them. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth. We did everything we could to save them, but it was too late."
Lu Hao was inconsolable. He collapsed onto a nearby chair, tears streaming down his face. "My daughter, my poor daughter. I never imagined I'd have to bury her."
Madam Zhang was equally heartbroken. "My son, my dear Rui. He was so young, and he had so much life ahead of him."
Tensions ran high between the two families as they struggled to come to terms with their tragic losses. In the midst of their grief, they started to accuse each other of their children's deaths.
"You should have kept a better eye on your son," Lu Hao spat at Madam Zhang. "If he hadn't been with your family, my daughter would still be alive."
Zhang Li's eyes flashed with anger. "You have no right to talk to my wife like that. And don't you dare try to shift the blame onto my son? Your daughter was just as much at fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Their argument quickly escalated, and soon they were yelling at each other, their voices echoing through the hospital corridors.
"You're a liar!" Lu Hao shouted; his face red with rage. "You and your family have always been troublemakers. I won't let you get away with this."
Zhang Li was equally furious. "How dare you accuse my family of something we didn't do. You have no proof, and you're just trying to start trouble. In fact I could say the same. Your daughter seduced our son and now we have lost him because of her"
Lu Hao's eyes burned with rage. He grabbed Zhang Li's collar. "Don't you dare talk sh*t about my daughter? It was always you and your Zhang family trapping our girls and ruining our family."
Their heated exchange quickly drew a crowd, and soon people were watching from a safe distance, unsure of what to do. The situation was getting out of hand, and it was clear that things were about to get violent.
Suddenly, someone from the Lu family lunged at the Zhang family members, and a full-blown fight broke out. Punches were thrown, and the hospital staff rushed to break up the brawl.
As the news of the tragic deaths and the ensuing fight spread through the hospital, a sense of unease settled over everyone. Whispers and speculation filled the once-quiet halls, as people tried to make sense of what had happened. The feud between the two families had turned into a deeper enmity, and it was clear that things would never be the same again.
But little did anyone know, things were about to get much, much worse for the future generation.
***